Equality
by Jolinar773
Summary: Life goes on in Soul Society and there are some changes in the air, whether to better or worse remains to be seen...
1. Secrets in the Night

**Hey all! **

**I'm back, mostly because you guys are so sweet and encourage me to continue writing :) Equality should have originally been another Byakuya/Renji one-shot but it kinda keeps growing and growing, so I would eventually have to divide it into chapters anyway :) **

**Rated M for the later chapters, so you may look forward a little Ukitake/Kyouraku moments, warning for probable OOCsness... and I hope you're going to enjoy this because I'm writing fics instead of studying hard for my exams :p**

**Don't forget to review, your voices mean very much to me and it makes me happy to see so many people adding my Sakura and Pineapple to Favourites! :) Hope this one will be equally popular :)**

**_Disclaimer:_ Also, I don't own Bleach characters (although I would very much like to *peeks over her shoulder at Aizen wallscroll*), I'm only borrowing them for my personal hentai fantasies :)**

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**Chapter 1 – Secrets in the Night**

He did it. He actually _did_ it. Renji could scarcely believe his senses. There was no way he would feel suited or even prepared for something like this after being the 6th Division vice-captain for such a short period of time, yet somehow...

With mixed feelings, thoughts rushing through his mind like thousands of little tornados, Renji's thumbs caressed the silken fabric clutched to his chest. His eyes lingered on the three horizontal lines neatly drawn with careful brush-strokes within equally well-made rhombus - haori of the 3rd Division captain. _His_ haori. Yamamoto-soutaichou had to be pretty desperate to make someone like _him_ a captain. Renji's cheeks darkened as he remembered the embarassment of his qualification exams this morning. He could't have made more of a fool of himself. What luck that Kuchiki Byakuya wasn't part of the committee - being the one who recommended Renji for captaincy in the first place, the 6th Division captain was forbidden to attend.

The red-head's thoughts wandered to his former Captain. The recommendation came about as expected as a lightning striking from a clear, blue sky. He wasn't sure what to make of it. Had Byakuya somehow not been satisfied with having Renji for a vice-captain anymore? Had he done something to offend the noble? Although if that was the case, he would hardly get promoted. Even so, becoming a captain now felt kind of like punishment instead of a reward.

Renji let out a sigh and stopped in his tracks to listen in for a bit. There were footsteps closing in from behind and he let out a quiet curse. Ikkaku, Yumichika, Hisagi, Kira and Matsumoto somehow got into their heads the idea of throwing a party to celebrate Renji's promotion. However the red-head wasn't really in the mood to indulge himself in their drunken chitter-chatter, so the crescent moon surrounded by festoonery of stars above him now found the brand new 3rd Division Captain sneaking through the streets of Seireitei, trying desperately to leash his reiatsu as much as possible to avoid detection. He only wanted to be left alone right now; to have some time for himself. To think. And also, Renji admitted reluctantly, he felt a bit awkward about direct confrontation with his new vice-captain, Kira Izuru. They've been friends since their academy days and they still tended to frequently go drinking together with the others and now, circumstances as they were, it seemed strange to think of the blond as his subordinate. Renji couldn't help but to inwardly compete against Ichimaru Gin, who -despite everything that had happened– still held a special place in Kira's heart. Yes, he only kept postponing the inevitable, however, until tomorrow, there may be enough time to gather his wits and face the prospect of his new position.

The footsteps grew louder and he could hear humming of voices, making out the sound of his own name now and then. Renji launched into shunpo without further hesitation, landing neatly on a soft, cold grass behind a wall on the other side of the street. He flattened himself against the stone and fell silent, listening intently as the search party came so close he could feel their individual pulses of reiatsu spreading around like a net with the intention to find the traces of his own. Fortunately, years spent watching Kuchiki Byakuya's almost every move and the short while of being his vice-captain taught Abarai Renji to control the flow of his spiritual energy with ease and skill nearing mastery. And he couldn't have been more grateful for that as he heard dissapointed curses before the the steps trailed off and there was peace and quiet again.

He slid along the wall into a sitting position, heaving a deep sigh of relief. His eyes closed for a moment, before he decided to find out where the hell did he end up. With no small surprise he recognized this place as the 6th Division's training grounds, though this particular area was no longer used for training recruites, who had been far too few as of late. With a small smile on his face, Renji jumped to his feet and as he was about to flash-step away a movement at the very corner of his vision made him freeze on the spot. His eyes darted to a shadowy silhouette of the training hall. There it was again - only barely visible flick of something white disappearing inside the building. Ignoring voices in his head telling him that he's the 3rd Division captain now and what's happening within the 6th Division grounds is no longer any of his concern, curiosity got the best of the crimson-haired Shinigami and he followed.

It was pitch black inside as he slipped through a partially-opened door and it took some time for his sight to adjust. Outlines of walls and few pieces of furniture, probably dumped here because there was nowhere else to put them, came out from the darkness when Renji carefully swept his surrounding to catch again a glimpse of what he thought could only be an intruder. He was lucky - in the right-hand corner of his vision there was a brief movement in the shadows. His brows furrowed, mind set on confronting whomever it was sneaking around like a thief at this hour. With only a split second hesitation, he though he himself was one to talk and slowly crept in the direction of a dim light suddenly illuminating an outline of a pile of old, wooden crates. Pausing for a moment, Renji decided to stealthily aproach from the other side and as he did so, the sight that had arisen before of him made him freeze once more.

Seemingly petite, slender figure dressed in a shihakusho crouched in a corner, aparently unaware of someone else's presence. Small but brighly glowing ball of energy hovered a few inches above opened palm with long, graceful fingers and the red-head found himself terribly familiar with the regal, composed features of that pale face. He knew those obsidian eyes, reflecting bright blue light and he also recognized the unmistakable design of the silver embroidery, embed neatly in long, raven hair. Now he knew the thing that had led him here was, in fact, a lap of a silvery-white scarf weaved of windflower light silk and worth about ten or more mansions in the Noble's Quarter.

Unable to comprehend the scene, Renji simply gawked for what felt like an eternity, paralyzed by the sight of Kuchiki Byakuya -head of one of the four major noble houses of Soul Society and captain of the 6th Division of the Gotei 13- sitting on his heels on a filthy floor of an abandoned training hall. With no haori, only the scarf around the noble's neck falling over his back, kenseikan glimmering in the cold, blue light coming from the little sphere of energy in his small, slender hand, Renji felt like he must be imagining things. More astonishing, however –if it was even possible- was the fact that those wintry, black eyes, usualy dispassionate and distant were now soft and warm and full of affection. Thin lips -rarely ever devoid of their austerity- curled in a half-smile and cheeks tinted with the same shade of pink as the thousands cherry blossoms of Senbonzakura's blades. And as Renji watched, wide-eyed his gaze followed Byakuya's free hand dressed in white tekkou, reaching into a small box stuffed with what was unmistakably the 6th Division captain's haori. And there, curled in the middle of the black number six lay a tricolor –black, ginger and white- cat with five kittens, all legs and whiskers, fighting, kicking and stumbling over each other to get to the tastiest of their mother's swollen, milk-filled nipples, making soft yowls and purrs in the process.

The moment Byakuya's fingers touched the cat's soft fur, the only acurate word coming to Renji's mind to describe the uncharacteristic and alien expression on the noble's face was _melting_. And as he was trying to comprehend the fact of Kuchiki Byakuya actually being able to conjure an emotional response of such magnitude a memory flashed throught the new 3rd Division captain's mind. Two days ago, Rikichi - an unseated officer of the 6th Division and Renji's hard-core admirer - came to him, eyes red and puffy, tears pouring down his cheeks, pleading with the red-head to find his lost pet cat that hadn't come home for quite some time.

Now Renji knew why that was and as he slowly retreated to leave before Byakuya could sense him, he promised himself to find Rikichi first thing in the morning and maybe –just maybe- bring up the topic of the lost animal to the 6th Division captain himself, if only to see what would happen.

Tomorrow suddenly seemed like a very interesting day.

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**As for update, I have absolutely no idea when there will be enough time to finish the second chapter but I will do my best not to leave you guys hanging for long! I promise! :)**


	2. Reaching fangs

**Evening! :)**

**I passed the exam so to reward myself I decided to sit down and write another chapter for Equality (listening to Calvar la Espada from Bleach OST 3) :) It's not long, but I promise the next one will be much better... at least I hope so because I see a lemon coming! :)**

**Also, I'm very well aware Byakuya's eyes are grey, but black just suits him better so I'm gonna stick with that so bear with me, please :)**

**Enjoy!  
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**Reaching fangs**

"Good morning, Abarai-taichou!" a perfectly formal greeting phrase sounded for about a thousandth time.

It still felt as awkward as the first time Renji had heard it this morning and a lot more annoying. He gave a simple nod, because if he tried to properly respond to everyone, it would take hours to get to the 6th Division office and he would probably loose it, ending up shouting at some poor unseated Shinigami for looking at him the wrong way.

Shuffling, hurried at first before it fell in step with him made him turn around to find Kira Izuru, keeping a little distance from his new captain as common courtesy dictates, smiling genuinely at the red-head's startled expression. "Good mo..."

"Say it and I'll shove my fist down your throat, Kira!" Renji hissed, resuming his long, swift strides.

"Hai, Abarai-_taichou._" a mischevious grin formed on the blond vice-captain's pale face. Royal-blue eyes gleamed with suppressed laughter.

He always loved making fun of Renji and now that the crimson-haired Shinigami became his new captain, Kira felt like things were finally starting to look for the better. He was aware of the 3rd Division's reluctancy to accept him though, because most of them got used to Kira's leadership and with the memory of Ichimaru Gin still hovering over them like a thick, dark cloud, giving birth to mistrust and suspicision to any outsider, Abarai Renji probably had a long and difficult time ahead of him if he ever wanted to win their trust and respect. But he will endure. Kira believed it with all of his heart. Renji was _not_ Ichimaru. He will _not_ betray them.

Renji shook his head, chuckle betraying his no-longer-sour mood and halted, before entering the 6th Division headquarters, palm resting on Izuru's chest.

"Wait here, I'll be right back." and before the puzzled-looking vice-captain could say a word, he dissapeared within the river of black and white as the Shinigami stepped aside only to let him through, before moving on with their business as he vanished behind a corner with a swish of white haori.

Rikichi could usually be found running around the whole of the 6th Division offices, but even an unseated officer like himself had to have his own place to rest during the rare moments of peace. Renji smiled to himself, all traces of his previous irritation now gone as he watched familiar faces staring, smiling and bowing the moment they saw him. Wave of longing overpowered him for a moment when he realized this was no longer where he belongs.

The sight, the smell, the people... everything he grew attached to; the familiarity they treated him with even as he strode through the crowd wearing the 3rd Division captain's haori made his heart ache. Because becoming a captain meant not only leaving the 6th Division, but also giving up the little things that made his life as a vice-captain worth while. The unforgetable moments of yelling at new recruits during training sessions. Watching as they strived to dodge Zabimaru's extending blade only to end up piled up over each other. Praising them at the end of the day as they traipsed back to their rooms, soaked with sweat, exhausted and cursing. Humming under his breath, sword propped over his shoulder, on his way to join his friends for a drinking contest usually leading to waking up the next morning trapped between Matsumoto's voluptous bossom and Kira, hanging all over him, snoring loudly. Now all this would be exchanged for meddling even deeper into the mud of Seireitei's politics with only the prospect of siting from dawn to dusk inside the 3rd Division captain's office, waiting for something to happen and dangling on a tight leash, unable to act immediately when it does.

True enough, captains had priviliges others could only dream about. However they had to pay a heavy price for being what they were and Renji still wasn't sure if he would be able to carry out those kinds of orders going against his better judgement or the justice of his heart. Will he be able to sacrifice what he cherished because somebody orders him to? A memory of himself standing against Kuchiki Byakuya in desperate attempt to beat some sense into the noble before the sister he loved so much falls prey to the same law he vowed to uphold, flashed before his eyes. Suddenly Renji felt worlds apart from the people he passed on his way to Rikichi's office as well as those he used to spend so much time with, and he would give anything to be able to once again look at Kuchiki Byakuya's back. To fall in step with him or watch the priceless, silvery-white scarf dangling from his shoulder and the graceful, fluent movement of that slender body. To take in deep of that sweet scent of sakura blossoms always surrounding the noble wherever he went.

A thick wave of reiatsu washed over him, briging Renji back from his silent contemplation and his eyes rose up to meet wintry obsidian gaze, thin line of lips and long, raven hair embroided with silver kenseikan. He narrowly managed to avoid a collision and remain standing.

"Abarai Renji." Byakuya's voice was measured as always, the noble's heavy-lidded eyes scrutinized Renji from head to foot. "I assume congratulations are in order."

It took a while for the red-head to catch up and –more out of habit than anything else- he diverted his gaze from those cold, piercing eyes, mumbling "Thanks." under his breath.

They haven't seen each other since Byakuya announced his recommending Renji for captaincy. Even then it was only a brief moment before he turned on his heels and left in a swish and flick of white haori, leaving Renji to gape after him for long minutes, unable to process what had just been said and feeling... hurt and betrayed for a reason he could not understand.

"What are you doing here?" the simple question said in that voice severed the 3rd Division captain's train of thoughts for the second time now. He found himself staring at his feet.

"Actually, I came to see Rikichi." Renji got his act together, brown eyes meeting black, suddenly defiant.

He was no longer the weakling unable to look directly into those fathomless depths. Scared to death just treading in the man's shadow, trembling under the sheer force of his immense reiatsu. No, he was the 3rd Division captain now. They were equals.

"He's not here." Byakuya retorted dryly. "And I suggest you pay such close attention to your own subordinates, Abarai-taichou. 'Tis not fit for a man of your status to indulge in idle chatter while there are things to be taken care of elswere." he swept past Renji with grace becoming of the head of the Kuchiki family, paying no heed to the changes in the levels of Renji's reiatsu.

The red-head's fists clenched, heart thumping wildly in his ears. He didn't understand the rapid change in Byakuya's behaviour towards him, but he had no intention of letting it go just like that. If there is something he had done wrong, he will remedy it even if it was the last thing he'll ever do. No more howling at the moon, lacking the courage to jump and grab it.

"I came to see Rikichi," he heard himself speak, although it felt like somebody else was forming the words on his tongue. "Because he asked me to look for his lost _cat_."

Byakuya paused in mid-step.

"Stumbled across it yesterday in that abandoned trainin' hall. So I wanted to let 'im know." Renji continued mercilessly, folowing carefully every little change in Kuchiki's composure. His reiatsu fluctuated slightly as the captain apparently understood the meaning behind those seemingly innocent words, eyes widened for only a fraction of a second.

"There is no need to concern yourself with such matters." cool, measured voice did not give away any of the emotions Renji could sense with every fibre of his soul. "Now if that is all, _Abarai-taichou_, there are other matters I must attend to. I suggest you do the same." and he was gone.

Satisfied with this small victory, wolfish grin spread over Abarai's tanned features. Suspecting what he would see, he peeked around the corner into the emptiness of Rikichi's office only to glimpse a small box near the window and hear a soft mewing coming from it, before turning around as well and heading outside to where Kira was waiting for him, propped up against a tree. He looked thoughtful and a little gloomy watching spots of sunlight moving across his hands as a light breeze caressed the green leaves, changing the angle of sun rays struggling through the spreading tree-top.

"So, have you found what you were looking for, Abarai-kun?" the 3rd Division vice-captain asked curiously as they left to face the challanges of the first day in new line of work.

"Kinda." the grin broadened and it stayed there for the whole day, until late afternoon hours when they both finally finished up and sat down with the rest of the 3rd Division to get acquainted and familiarize Renji with the way things worked around here.

Kira could not hide his suprise with the ease Abarai fit into the now complete picture of their new Division. Perhaps, he told himself, it will not be so hard for him. He quipped and laughed with all of them, spreading warmth and inspiring familiarity and confidence with skill of someone growing up amongst people banding together in order to survive in harsh and unforgiving conditions. The true son of Rukongai. And if what Kira saw was any indication of the way the 3rd Division was going to evolve, he could not have been more happier that it is Abarai Renji who's going to lead them through the difficult times ahead.


	3. Passion and Pain

**Finally, chapter 3 coming up! **

**So sorry fo the delay, it's been quite hectic around here and for a moment I found myself out of ideas, so a friend draged me out to an onsen, which gave me the perfect idea... and as you can see this chapter is a bit longer than the previous two and there is already a hint of a developing plot :)**

**Also there are references to ****Sakura and Pineapple**** and although this can stand well on it's own, maybe it will enrich the story to read the first one-shot :)**

**Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it 'cause this is the first love-making scene I went through to the very end ... listening to Byakuya's character song - Yozora no Kawa :p  
**

**Leave reviews _no matter how old_ this fic is, if you feel like it, kay? I'm still gonna read them... :) And I'm re-reading and correcting/changing (a little) the fics as I go... :)**

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**Passion and Pain**

Delighted by the prospect of rest after a week of slavery getting his new division up and running, Renji submerged into the hot, steaming water. Only his eyes and crimson head visible above its misty surface, he kept amusing himself by watching pockets of air rise up as they left his mouth and dissipate with a bubbling sound. The whole of his body ached and he wished nothing more than to stay here until passing out from the heat. He closed his eyes, heaving a sigh which resulted in another set of bubbles coming out of his lips and up to vanish into the air. His thoughts wandered off.

He realized running a division would probably be more difficult for a Captain than it was for a lieutenant, so it wasn't really much of a surprise. But as time went by, Renji began to lose his conviction in being able to keep things up. Yes, Kira was a great help, because nobody else knew the 3rd Division better than its vice-captain, but still. Not only there were still traces of Ichimaru Gin's handiwork all around that needed to be purged in order for them to stand on their own again, but also he never thought about _what exactly_ would he want his own division to look like. Every Captain had a specific way of doing things, building on what he or she did best and choosing new members accordingly. However Renji couldn't think of anything he would excel in. He himself had a short temper he wouldn't want others to pick up, Zabimaru lacked any super special abilities and serving under Kuchiki Byakuya certainly hadn't inspired any megalomaniac ambitions within _anyone_, mostly because nobody was stupid enough to stand up to the noble. Except Renji himself, although that was completely justified because that one time, he did not act on his own personal agenda but to save a life they had both held dear. He just wanted the man who shaped the ways of his life to see reason behind blind devotion to an ancient law that had long since lost its original function. And he succeded – with a little help from Ichigo. And things were better within the 6th Division. And yet... Renji had always dreamed about sealing the gaping chasm between a captain and the rest of his division as much as possible. He wanted to communicate with his subordinates, help them in getting better the way he did when he was a vice-captain. Wanted them to know that he was there and the only thing they had to do was ask. Something like Ukitake-taichou...

As the train of Renji's thoughts touched the subject of the 13th Division captain, he felt a surge of heat coming to his cheeks as it triggered a very recent memory which led to him sitting here, musing in the first place. It was a few days ago when he found out they built an Onsen here in Seireitei –thanks to Kurosaki Ichigo aparently, who kept complaining loudly about not being able to take a proper bath the last time he and his friends visited to make a mess and start a war still raging atound them- and that there was a particular one reserved for captains of the Gotei 13. And since he counted among them now, Renji decided today was the best day to try it out. Convinced there will be nobody else around in the middle of the night he sneaked in to indulge himself to his heart's content. What was his surprise, however, when he entered the bath-house to find himself frozen on the spot -though well hidden out of sight- staring at Kyouraku Shunsui craddling Ukitake Juushirou in his arms, taking the ivory-haired captain out of an open-air bath, whispering to him affectionately. Ukitake blushed slightly, hands around Kyouraku's neck and reached out to meet the other man's lips in a drawn, tender kiss. They dissapeared in Shunpo within seconds, but the sight paralyzed Abarai Renji for whole minutes. Everyone knew they had a soft spot for each other because they grew up together, studied at the Academy and became the very first captains together with Yamamoto-soutaichou. But Kyouraku's been chasing girls, leering at them since he was old enought to understand the diference between the two sexes and Ukitake's always sick in bed, coughing up blood most of the time – the man's got _tuberculosis_ for crying out loud!

Renji submereged himself completely to get rid of still more embarrassing images, shaking his head vigirously it made him dizzy and short of air. Just for the fun of it, he decided to stay under water until he could no longer ignore his lungs crying out for oxygen, feeling his heart thrumming in his temples, throat clenching. Only then he finally chopped out, gasping for breath, water dripping down long, crimson curtain hiding his face and over his shoulders and back. But when his eyes opened, for the second time tonight Renji froze, limbs loosing all signals from the brain, focusing only on the sight in front of him - long, raven hair sleek and loose; fathomless, obsidian eyes wide in surprise; thin line of mouth unsmiling; pale, slender neck, usualy wrapped in a silvery-white scarf and astonishingly beautiful, smooth, porcelain skin glittering with drops of water, reminding him of dozens of jewels matched in a perfect harmony only the best masters jewelcrafters could hope to achieve. And suddenly, as the reality of what he was seeing dawned on him, Renji found himself holding his breath, cheeks burning inspite his every effort to supress it and painfully aware of the heat of Kuchiki Byakuya's body now that they stared at each other from such close proximity they could feel the other's breath on their skin.

Maybe it was because he's been sitting here for quite some time already and maybe it could also be the fact that as much as he strived to drive the memory of Ukitake and Kyouraku out of his mind, it had come back the moment the brown eyes met black, stronger and more urgent, but Renji could not help but marvel at the elegance and beauty of his former captain's slender figure. How come he had never seen it before? Those gracefully arched shoulders and slim, but strong arms. Prominent clavicle and lean lines of muscles, shifting and changing with every breath and every move...

"Abarai Renji." the sound of Byakuya's voice cut through the train of Renji's thoughts like a blade and he blinked. "What are you doing?"

Another blink and this time dark brown eyes actually processed the sight all the way to the brain. Large, calloused hands stopped in their tracks down the curves of the noble's chest and fingertips twitched as if trying, but being unable to let go. Renji found with no little surprise he did not _wish_ to let go. Not unless Byakuya moves first. What he did wish for was to have the captain closer. To press him to his chest and enjoy the warmth of a living body against his own. To touch, to kiss, to hold on and to never let go. He didn't understand the sudden rush of need for closeness and neither could he possibly hope to ignore it.

And so without so much as giving an answer, with a resolution surprising even himself Renji slowly resumed the course of his palms south along the smooth, soft skin of Byakuya's chest. Gaze fixed into obsidian depths, the red-head watched for any sign of resistance, ignoring his heart thumping madly in his ears. Soon he felt the touch of water under his fingers, coming to a halt there to drag his hands each to one side to rest on the Kuchiki's hips for a few seconds and when there was still no retribution, considered it safe to trail up and reach out to pull the man into an embrace. Muscles tensed under his touch and the body shivered imperceptibly as his fingers ran up and down along the noble's spine.

"Renji." Byakuya's voice still held icy edges, however eyes were heavy-lidded and cheeks flushed slightly as he spoke. "It seems captaincy has gotten into your head. Your impertinence is astonishing."

And Renji heard himself respond, though unaware of such words forming in his mind, because he was not inclined to die just yet. "Yeah."

And with that simple word he leaned even closer, brushing his lips against the thin, unsmiling ones. He breathed into them, caressing them with the tip of his tongue, coaxing them to part. And to his delight, they did. After torturous moments of uncertainty, he felt Byakuya yield and meet Renji's tentative tongue with his own. Given a proper encouragement, the former lieutenant needed no further invitation to clutch the beautiful body in his amrs more firmly and delve into that warm, wet mouth, exploring every little bit of its cavernous depths. Byakuya's eye-lashes tickled Renji's cheek as their eyes slid close, but he paid no heed to it, having enough trouble controling himself while one slender arm rose up to wind into his wet, crimson hair and the other one wrapped around his shoulders.

Shit, what the hell was he doing? Everything within him screamed to stop this madness. His self-preserving instinct, what little still remained of reason and sanity – all of that, which led him to where he was now, guided him through life had now banded together to make him listen. But he ignored it and it was easier than he would have expected. _This_, he felt with all his heart and soul, was what he had wanted since the day he woke up those long weeks ago in the Material World to have his nose broken by Kurosaki Ichigo for trying to sneak a hand into his pants while dreaming about this precious, slim, wonderful body now resting in his arms. Renji wanted to know since that very moment, if it can really feel the way he had imagined and now he found the sensation not only meeting his expectations, but exceeding them in a way he could never have hoped. And he loved every daring minute of it.

The sweet kiss broke as they both gasped for breath and for a few moments they lingered in the embrace, just looking into each other's eyes and seeing their own wishes and desires reflecting back at them.

"For a moment there, I though you're gonna kill me." Renji spoke and his voice was husky with supressed yearning.

A shadow of a smile flickered over Byakuya's graceful features when his eyes narrowed. "I'm still considering it."

And the little stupid, insignificant joke startled Abarai Renji, for he would never expect Kuchiki Byakuya to have a sense of humor and his surprise must have shown all over his face because those obsidian depths sparkled with hurt for a fraction of a second. And in that moment he understood – the way Byakuya cared for Rukichi's cat and her kittens, the way he reacted when Renji confronted him about it and now that they were alone together, sharing this intimate moment: this was the true face of Kuchiki Byakuya. That competitive youth with unbelievably short fuse, glittering eyes and wide smile, tossed around by waves of emotions just like Shihouin Yoruichi once said. Now the head of the Kuchiki clan, suffocated by decades of strict training to become what other's could see in him now – arrogant, distant and carefuly measured demeanor becoming of his noble status.

But whatever they did to him over the years, they could never break the man's strong spirit. All his acts of defiance – marriage to Hisana, adoption of Rukia – all of it was a tribute to what remained of that spirited young man raging, cursing and chasing the Godess of Flash all over Seiretei to get his revenge.

And Renji wanted to see more of that spirit.

With this goal in mind his hand reached to caress Byakuya's lower jaw and up to his slightly pink cheek. The noble nuzzled against the touch, still not breaking the eye-contact and Renji could see his whole world in those fathomless, obsidian depths and greed overpowered him as he leaned in to capture those parted lips once again and this time he projected all his wishes and wonders and worries into that kiss, letting Byakuya know that he can be himself now, for Abarai Renji was going to guard his secrets, hide them deep within his own heart. And Kuchiki Byakuya understood perfectly, his body relaxed, head falling back as his former vice-captain's lips copied the line of his jaw, kissing and breathing into that smooth, porcelain skin and down to run his tongue along the slender throat, leaving another kiss in the hollow of his clavicle. One hand moved from Byakuya's cheek to cup the back of his neck and slide lazily down his spine, the other retracing the curves of the noble's hips. Both met at the round of his bottom and he had only a second warning to twist his own arms firmly around Renji's neck before he was hoisted up and settled on the edge of the open-air bath, coaxed to lie down on his back while Renji's touches brought more heat into his pale, naked body than the steaming hot-spring water ever could.

Enjoying every bit of the moment that wonderful body arched to his ministrations, Renji lept out of the pool as well, straddling Byakuya with one knee thrust between his legs and pausing for a moment, propped up with his hands on each side of Kuchiki's head simply to look over the exquisite beauty offered to him without shame or hesitation. Obsidian eyes now positively gleamed with lust, lips swolen and flushed from the kisses, cheeks burning, chest heaving with shallow breaths and there, between those long, graceful legs a visible proof of what he saw reflected in the dark gaze and what he himself now became painfully aware of.

"Shit, Byakuya." escaped Renji, not much more than a growl when slender arms rested on the small of his back, pulling him down to feel the hardness with his own heated skin. "You're drivin' me crazy."

An arched eyebrow became his only response and flicker of mischief the only warning he had miserably failed to heed, before Byakuya pushed and shoved the red-head over, reversing the scene in a blink of an eye. The gesture again reminded Renji of his dream and he half-expected to hear the deep, velvety voice chanting a bakudou spell.

Instead he had found himself assaulted by hungering lips and agile fingers searching, exploring, lingering and learning every curve of his body. Byakuya's hands copied the outlines of black, wild tattoos on Renji's neck, chest and stomach closely followed by wet trail of tentative tongue only momentarily pausing to lick and suck on perked nipples. An audible gasp scraped through the red-head's opened mouth; his body tensed under the touch.

Quite content with the produced effect the Kuchiki nipped his way further south, stopping again to encircle the small belly button, leaving a lingering kiss on a sensitive skin before reaching to caress tanned inner thighs, carefully spreading muscular legs apart. Renji let out a strangled curse, blindly reaching out to mingle in the noble's raven locks as he felt hot breath and touch of a moist tongue brushing against his swolen, aching arousal. But before he could do more than give a gentle tug, Byakuya swallowed him whole in a single, delicious slide that wiped his mind stark clean.

Release and devour time and again, the raven-haired noble repeated the procedure with care and dedication he devoted to every aspect of his life, ensuring to keep his teeth away and maximize the strokes of his tongue against the heated flesh. He cpuld feel the unique taste of Renji in his mouth.

And the red-head was heplessly lost, unable to think, unable to breathe, focusing only on the hot wetness enveloping him and he could feel the climax approaching more quickly with each passing second. He wanted to touch all of Kuchiki Byakuya so badly it actually _ached_, though most of the noble's beautiful body was out of reach as he worked skillfully in Renji's lap, loose strands of silky, black hair tickling his thighs and abdomen.

"S-stop, Byakuya! I—" another audible proof of his need shot through the heavy air and tattooed body bucked into the movements. "Almost... I c-can't—"

It was too late. Stars burst into life beneath Renji's closed eyelids as he crossed the threshold of true bliss and felt Byakuya's throat tighten around him, wolfing down hungrily all of the nurturing moisture. He could not –or maybe would not- stop a loud cry of pleasure, heart thumping against ribs as if it was about to break through, breathing irregular, shallow and rapid, sweet jolts of electricity running up and down underneath his skin.

Hands gave another gentle tug and when the captain finally raised his gaze to meet his lover, those black pearls were burning; alive with lust and want and he seemed a completely different person from the Kuchiki Byakuya everyone knew.

A streak of milky-white substance poured down from the corner of his lips and he scooped it up with two graceful, slim fingers before capturing his former lieutenant's mouth in a passionate kiss, perhaps to deflect his attention from what he was about to do.

Reflexes slowed by the aftermath of release, Renji did not have enough time to prepare himself for the feeling of fingers, first rubbing against his entrance before sliding inside, one at a time.

"Shit..." he murmured into Byakuya's mouth, trying only half-heartedly to pish him away. Obviously to no avail.

The Shinigami's physical strength was surprising given the fragile looks of his body. And Renji still felt weary and somewhat disoriented.

"It will not hurt for long, Renji." came out a breathless assurance. "Relax."

But that was easier said than done and though Byakuya probably did his best to be as gentle as possible, sharp stab of pain paralysed Abarai Renji as he felt the noble penetrate him. It couldn't be compared to any kind of pain he had ever experienced on any battlefield. Brown eyes watered spontaniously and a hiss and a cry could not be stopped.

"I am sorry, Renji." the most delicious, tender kiss soothed away part of the pain. Renji knew those words were sincere and relaxed as much as he was able to the slow, steady thrusts.

He gave himself in to the warmth of Byakuya's body, beginning to move faster against his, hands creeping along the Shinigami's chest and hips. Fingernails dug into soft, smooth skin of the noble's back drenched with sweat and water.

And so very slowly, the pain began to die away as promised, to be replaced by equaly intense pleasure boosted with every hit to the sensitive spot deep within Renji never knew existed until now.

Aroused by the sweet, sweet sounds of the noble's impending flashpoint, intoxicated by the inherent scent of sakura blossoms, Renji could still find himself seeking at least a little bit of retribution for this unexpected breach of privacy in taking his chance to bite on Byakuya's lower lip. Low hiss followed by strenghtening grip on tanned thighs together with one, two, three more shaky thrusts and then there were teeth sinking deep into heated flesh at the crook of Renji's neck to silence a groan as the slender body above him stirred and stilled before hot wetness of Byakuya reaching his peak filled him up, awakening renewed wave of desire projecting itself into a hardening need between his legs.

They were both sweaty and breathless and felt delectably dizzy and Byakuya didn't want to think of anything else besides the delicious, strong body he was leaning onto for support, his limbs shaking in the afterglow of their coupling, heart racing in his chest, temples and ears. But with lust and desire both sated for now, reason crept up to corrupt the moment and the thought of what had just occured dawned on the 6th Division captain like a heavy stone weighing his conscience What has he done? What have_ they_ done?

He worked so hard to get rid of those he cared about; to push them away to protect them, sending Rukia to the Material World where he knew Kurosaki Ichigo won't let her come to harm and recommending Renji for captaincy to prevent him from being draged into all this. However only a single lapse of judgement was enough to destroy everything.

Byakuya knew Abarai Renji too well to expect him to go back to how things were before and telling the hot-headed Rukongai boy the truth would complicate things even more. So the noble decided to make the only decision left for him, even though it threatened to break him apart, for he had dreamed about this since the day he woke up within his private quarters at the Kuchiki mansion, vividly remembering a familiar, though nonexistent reiatsu lingering on his lips and skin. Even weeks later, he could still feel Renji's large, calloused hands stroking him; the heat of the red-head's body pressed against his and the addictive taste of passionate kisses claiming his pale, sensitive skin for their own.

He gathered up all the knowledge of decades of strict training to restrain every emotion, hiding his face underneath loose, raven hair. However for only a brief moment he thougt himself unable to look into his lover's face. However when those warm, brown eyes widened with confusion, it shook his resolve to the core.

But he was Kuchiki Byakuya, head of one of the four major noble houses. He will control it. He _must _control it.

"Well now, Renji," the voice deliberately dripped ice and Byakuya found it not so hard to maintain distance now that he though what might happen if something went wrong. "I would like to make a few things very clear. I am a Kuchiki and you but a mongrel from Rukongai, despite your rank as a Shinigami."

Now the shock and hurt in Renji's gaze projected into all of his face as he jumped to his feet.

But Byakuya wasn't quite finished. "And although your fangs have indeed reached me for a second time tonight, I can asure you this shall never happen again. You may be a captain now, however we are still worlds apart and you will do best to remember your place. I will not be tolerant of any more inappropriate behaviour in the future."

Looking into Renji's eyes now gleaming crimson with frustration, anger and bewilderment that tore his very soul apart, Byakuya pressed his index finger to the tanned, heated chest. "Hadou #1: Shō."

The former lieutenant's pupils dilated a second too late for him to stop the burst of reiatsu that had sent him stumbling backwards, sprawling into the still-steaming water of the open-air bath.

Its surface closed above him and Byakuya wrapped a towel around his waist. "Also, I must imply you do not speak of any of this to anyone for your own good. Sayonara, Abarai-taichou." and he was gone before there was enough time for Renji to do more than spit and cough in an attempt to get all the water out of his lungs.

He will solve his problems on his own. Without fear for anyone to meddle in. It has always been like this and it always will be. Of that Byakuya was sure. And maybe when this is all over, he will explain everything and deal with the consequences. If he survives that is.

* * *

**This was just hilarious... what was I thinking? OOCsness of the highest lvl... damn... **


	4. The Day After

**Ha! Here we go, at last! **

**Took more than I anticipated,'cause there was a suggestion to add something funny to balance the ending of the previous chapter and I found it rather challenging in my current state of mind. **

**Explanation - there are still few exams left and I need to get a part-time job, so there's not going to be much of a holiday this year and I'm also working on two more projects, now turning quite... angsty... so bear with me, I tried my best! :)**

**Though even now I can promise more angst, there will also be some happy moments in the future and expected Byakuya/Renji sweetness ... *ponders* suppose the change in genre was necessary...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Kubo-sensei does! :)**

**And also I would like to point out I'm not a native speaker so, please bear with me! :)**

**P.S. sorry for the OOCsness... did my best to minimize it :)**

* * *

**The Day After**

Renji woke up to a single ray of gold pouring into his darkened room through the little window above his head, caressing his closed eyelids with lover's tenderness. He grunted, blinking unwillingly several times and founding himself sprawled over white sheets, stark naked, one arm dangling from the edge of his bed with blankets covering barely half of his tattooed, muscular body. Immediately his hands shot up, fingers entangling in the crimson, disheveled mane, covering his face to stop a spliting headache he became aware of the moment he tried to turn his head. Hangover? What the hell was going on? He hasn't been drinking at all yesterday! He has... he...

Chocolate-brown eyes grew wide as all the events of the past night dawned on him with crushing inevitability. Set of images flashed through his still-slumbering mind – raven hair; scent of sakura blossoms; obsidian eyes hazed with desire; sensation of porcelain skin under his fingers; feeling of Kuchiki Byakuya's body pressing against his own; a voice whispering apologetically into his ear upon a violent breach of his body and... cold...

_"I would like to make a few things very clear. I am a Kuchiki and you only a mongrel from Rukongai, despite your rank as a Shinigami." ... "Even though you are a captain now, we are still worlds apart and you will do best to remember your place."_

"Shit!" Renji's fist hit the sheets and -ignoring his head thrumming as if it was about to split open- he buried his face in a pillow.

"How long are you going to be like that?" deep, hoarse voice came from somewhere Renji could not see and it made him jump, which he immediately regreted as the movement awakened a fresh and completely different type of pain. His arse was on fire.

"Look, he can't even sit up! Such innocent reaction, isn't it?" another voice chuckled, followed by a seemingly small figure looming out of a shadowy corner.

Gritting his teeth, Renji settled with propping himself on an elbow as he stared at the intimately familiar form of baboon with milky-white fur streaked with black tattoos, dark, rosy nuzzle and huge front paws. Its tail swished through the air, revealing a grinning snake's head at the end.

"'Bout time we call the Fourths to take a look at him! Bet it would give 'em the laugh of their lives!" it laughed again, almost manically.

Surprisingly enough, Renji's imagination decided to play with the idea for a while and he could clearly see the whole thing before his eyes:

_"What seems to be the problem, Abarai-taichou?" Unohana Retsu's calm smile always invites others to speak openly whatever the occasion, inspiring trust and certainty._

_Renji opens his mouth, thinking hard of what to say, shuffling._

_"Would you like to sit down?" she asks after a moment of awkward silence._

_The very thought of using his butt in such a way makes Renji nauseous, he shakes his head vigorously._

_"I can't sit down! I -" he closes his eyes firmly, deciding to just spit ot out and be done with it. "I got fucked like hell yesterday! Need somethin' for the pain!"_

Abarai Renji's face now clearly matched the color of his hair. No way. NO way! NO FRICKIN' WAY!

He shot a glance at Zabimaru, the ape's golden eyes watching his every move, and stood up, careful not to touch his aching behind. "You enjoy materializin' just to make fun o' me?" he growled, grabbing his shihakusho.

"You've no idea, bro!" again the white snake cackled, while the baboon's x-raying gaze still lingered on the red-head packing himself clumsily into the black hakama before he realized the shitagi and kosode come first.

"I'm ready to fight, Renji." Zabimaru said quietly at least, completely ignoring his outspoken tail. "Senbonzakura-"

"I ain't gonna fight Kuchiki-taichou!" Renji's voice raised, it surprised even himself. His hands stilled for a brief moment at the knot of his obi. "Just do me a favour 'n shut the hell up! It's got nothin' to do with you."

This resulted in a renewed wave of complains and insults from the zanpakutou's snakey tail, but the white baboon only sighed with exasperation as both of them finally disappeared. Sword -propped up against a chair- turned back into its sealed state and crimson glow of reiatsu enveloping it had dissipated.

Renji let out an irritated grunt, tying his hair into a pony-tail on the back of his head and putting on the 3rd Division captain's haori with only a split second hesitation. He will not blow up over something like this. If that's what Byakuya wants, so be it. Better to know now than live with false hopes. And it's not like he didn't expect it, althought he would never have thought for it to go this far. Renji assumed he would get refused right from the beginning, not after the damage is done. For him to loose his virginity like that...

He sighed. It was probably all his own damn fault for being dense his whole life, unable to recognize people expressing their interest in him untill they've finally given up. And now that he thought about it, there actually was quite a few girls hanging around him during his academy days. Rukia smacked him over the head because of this quite often over the years, but he just wanted to wait. To do it right. At first he thought about Rukia herself as they were growing up together and he came to recognize her becoming a woman, but she has always been more like a sister to him. A family. And then Ichigo came by, stealing her away. And thanks to him Renji finally discovered his heart's desire and it scared the hell out of him, but he came to accept it, because he never thought about his feelings ever having a chance of becoming mutual. But yesterday he could feel their sincerity with all of his being, no matter what Kuchiki Byakuya might have said afterwards. However, pursuing the issue would be of little use. Renji knew that much after living in the noble's shadow for all these years. Maybe he will find out what's behind Byakuya's moodswings and maybe he won't. Either way, he has a division to run and can't afford to divide his attention.

Mind set on the tasks ahead, about an hour later Abarai Renji strode into the 3rd Division captain's office to find all the forms neatly piled on his desk, filled and signed except a few only needing of his own signature. He stared at it for what felt like hours. In truth, he realized he was pretty late and felt properly ashamed of it, reconciled with working overtime to get everything done, but this...

"Are you feeling better, taichou?" the smile on Kira Izuru's pale, pointed face made Renji's cheeks turn slightly pink. The 3rd Division lieutenant swept past him, putting down a stack of papers on his own desk.

"You did all this by yourself, Kira?" Renji asked, ignoring the question, motioning to his today's worth of work completely finished.

The blonde noded. "I was going to wake you up, but you looked like you've had one hell of a night, so..." he shruged and then his eyes widened and he shook his head. "Not that I was looking or something, really, it's just—"

"Thanks." the single word of genuine gratitude silenced the 3rd Division vice-captain as abruptly as if Renji had hugged him.

To be honest, for a moment he really fought with the temptation to do just that, because he had never been happier to have a friend, although he had also never felt more ashamed of himself in his whole life. Maybe only during his Captain Qualification Exams.

It made Kira remember again the warmth and contentment of being appreciated and he liked the feeling. Because he was far from being a suitable leader and even though everyone always tried to cheer him up and he became used to running the 3rd Division as if it was his own, there couldn't be anything better than having a captain whom he could trust, whom he admired and knew for so many years. Renji had helped him through the worst of his life as well as Matsumoto, Hisagi, Ikkaku and Yumichika had. But here and now Kira had an opportunity to repay for at least some of it and he felt fulfilled by doing so, hoping that one day when this awkwardness of inexperience wears off betwen them, it will be the beginning of a new era in all of their lives.

"Ne, Kira," Renji severed the train of the blond vice-captain's thoughts as he shot a glance at his chair pushed invitingly aside for him to sit down –the very thought made the pain in his ass worse– and walked to look out of the window. There were shinigami running about their duties like small, black ants eager to contribute to the smooth function of their formicary and suddenly Renji yearned to go out and join them – anything that would take his mind off Byakuya and the pain now spreading to the whole of his body as well as creeping maliciously into the inner world of his soul. "Any joined trainin' sessions planned for today?"

Izuru's smile faded, brows knitted together as he thought, looking at his friend and captain, remembering what he had seen this morning when he entered Renji's quarters. Something was wrong. Something must have happened, but there was no use to force the issue. If the red-head wanted to talk, he would. Right now it was his duty as lieutenant as well as a friend to do his best to cheer him up.

"No." he said finally, however lips curled up again almost immediately. "But we can arrange one. These," a gesture to the stacks of papers. "are not going anywhere."

o*O*o

True to his word and to Renji's considerable surprise, Kira Izuru managed to call all of the 3rd Division together in a matter of minutes. He always knew the blonde had astonishing talent to get others to love and respect him simply by walking around with that stupid please-don't-hit-me-I-bruise-easily kind of face Abarai could't quite find a proper description for and indeed, he had seen most of that talent in action since he became their captain. But now it seemed there was always something to surprise him even more, no matter how long he had known the blue-eyed man, and as they watched the assembled Shinigami gathering around one of the more capacious training grounds, it reminded Renji of the day they met.

Kira flattened him at kidou practice and Renji kicked his ass during the sparring lesson only to see the whole class gathering around the pathetic weakling spread eagle on the tatami and recieve another extra practice for being a 'savage'. And later that day as he sat under a tree, enjoying the quiet of late afternoon, the very man he had sent flying over half the dojo came to him, talked to him and offered his heart in the palm of his little, pale hand as though it was the most logical thing in the world.

And Renji found that being born to a noble family doesn't necessarily make every Shinigami a holier-than-thou jerk.

"Alright!" Renji's strong, hoarse voice reverberated through the hot, heavy air, effectively silencing the murmurs of all the assembled. "Who's first?" he stepped forth, unsheathing Zabimaru, childishly looking forward to a little sparring practice he missed so much after leaving the 6th Division.

Deathly silence set in and Abarai couldn't help to feel just like on those rare occasions Byakuya graciously decided to join in on his squad's training, successfuly scaring the shit out of everyone around just by approaching. Could he too really be _that_ intimidating? Maybe it was the haori...

"I think it's madness to cross swords with you as well, taichou." whispered Izuru into his ear.

"What?" Renji turned to him, fretful for no particular reason. "'S not like I'm gonna chop 'em to pieces!"

But a single sweep over the faces crowding around, looking sheepishly to the ground was enough to see they had a different opinion.

"Kidou then!" loud voice carried over to them, although Renji couldn't tell its owner.

"The sixth's are masters at kidou! And Abarai-taichou's been working with Kuchiki-taichou for a long time!" more voices joined the quarrel.

Renji felt all color draining from his face. How the hell did they arrive at _that_ conclusion eluded him, up to the point when he remembered from personal experience Byakuya's impressive skills in this field. He himself, however, sucked helplessly at any kind of Kidou. Spells always tended to go out of control and blow up in his face or come out nothing more than a pathetic set of sparkles.

Kira Izuru's silent sniggering pissed Renji to no end. That damn bastard was going to let him drown!

"Okay," wolfish grin spread over the red-head's tanned mien. "But I'm gonna need a volunteer!" chocolate eyes skimmed through the crowd, shuffling to shrink as much as possible to escape the new captain's attention.

Only a few shinigami stood their ground and Renji recognized two of them as the 3rd and 4th Seat officers -both girls- smirking at him the way Rukia always did when he tried to look cool attempting something way out of his league. It kind of annoyed him, though in a good, nostalgic way.

Finally Renji's eyes settled on royal-blue ones, widening in shock as the captain grabbed his lieutenant's wrist and dragged him out to the open. "Great, Kira! I knew you'd feel up to it!"

_If_ he's going to founder, he will take the blonde with him!

His grin widened -if it was even possible- as he watched Izuru stumble forward upon being smacked hard over his back, almost tripping before he regained balance and turned to face his opponent with mixture of amusement, bewilderment and fear reflecting in the stance of his body.

"Yoshi!" Renji turned up his sleeves, assuming a proper posture as well. "Ore-sama will show you how it's done!" his eyes slid close as he outstretched his right hand, firngers wrapping round the wrist.

„Ye lord, crowned with the mask of blood and flesh. All creation. Flutter of wings." he forced his mind to devoid of everything else except the chant, gathering all of the knowledge Rukia stuffed in his head over the years. He could hear Kira voicing his own incantation to strenghten his defensive Kidou, but the words were only a silent humming in the back of his mind. "Ye, who bears the name of Man, Inferno and Pandemonium."

"_Focus, Renji." Kuchiki Byakuya's voice carried to his ears through the thick surge of reiatsu forming in his hands. "You must not loose concentration for a single moment, lock onto your opponent and imagine him crushed by the force of your spell." scent of sakura blossoms invaded Renji's nostrills, tickling and sending shivers along his spine._

Sphere of crimson energy began forming on his palm, hovering inches from the heated flesh and Renji imperceptibly lowered his head to get the image of his former captain out of his mind. Concentrate. Crush. Devoid of all thought. There's no way he will let that high-and-mighty bastard ruin his every attempt to stand on his own even without being present. "The sea barrier surges. March on to the South."

Newfound determination running through his veins, Renji opened his eyes and suddenly there was no Kira Izuru standing in front of him, but tall, slender, graceful man with raven hair and bewitching, obsidian eyes forming words in unison with his own.

„Hadou # 31: Shakkahou!" Renji bellowed.

„Bakudou # 81: Danku." came a response.

Huge explosion shook the ground beneath their feet and a crimson collumn of light shot high into the sky. There was smoke, gravel and dust everywhere, filling lungs and making breathing unimaginably difficult.

And in the middle of all the riot, as the rubble settled down to reveal the whole of the 3rd Division crummed behind Kira's barrier -unharmed but wide-eyed, shocked and a bit shaken- Renji weavered, feeling his knees giving way. A puff of black smoke came out of his opened mouth, tears sprinkled in the corners of his eyes, stinging painfully, skin blackened as if he had just fallen down a chimney. Sporadically singed, black shihakusho slid down his shoulders.

"Shit. I HATE kidou." and he blacked out, falling hard to the bottom of a small crater his failed spell had created.

Since then it became unwritten law within the 3rd Division never to ask the captain to perform any kind of Kidou, unless you really had a deathwish. And to Renji's surprise -once he had been crudely awakened by a bucket of ice-cold water into the face coming from the sweet, little hands of his 3rd and 4th Seat-he found the bond between him and his Division only strengthened. He now realized the voices calling for Kidou practice belonged to the two girls in the first place. They knew all along about his 'talent' for Kidou and it was their intention to show him that he doesn't need to be perfect in every way to earn their respect and that they only tease people they admire and even though it's been only a short while, they are all proud of being his subordinates.

It made Renji feel happy. So happy, he didn't know how to deal with it, ending up sparring with all three of them -Kira and both lower seats- to the cheering of the rest of the crowd until the sun began to slide into the pink, tangerine and violet blankets of the horizon.

"I yield!" he called out, laughing; pinned down with each hand firmly pressed to the ground by one of his subordinates, Wabisuke brushed against the soft skin of his exposed throat and dark-haired 4th Seat straddling his legs, malicious gleam in her emerald eyes. The 3rd Seat only snorted irritably, tossing her head to get sweaty strands of mahogany hair out of her face, golden gaze shooting daggers at her grinning friend as she handed the her a pouch of coins.

Howeverall went quiet once a black shadow fluttered above their heads, descending to hover over Renji's chest and refusing any attempts from Kira to catch it. Released immediately, all eyes on him, Renji stretched out his hand for the little messenger to settle on his finger. His eyes grew wider by the second as the butterfly relayed the message only to his own ears:

"All captains of the Gotei 13 are to immediately attend an emergency captains' meeting taking place at the 1st Division Headquarters, covering the assassination of the 6th Division captain Kuchiki Byakuya."

* * *

**Ore-sama**** – Renji's always refering to himself as "ore" in the anime, which is used by dominant men (something like "watashi" usually used by women) and "sama" to emphasize his boasting about being the best**

**Yoshi - alright**


	5. Assassin's Creed

**Yoshi! I'm done... finally :) **

**Sorry I left you hanging like that since the last chapter, but to be honest I wanted to produce some kind of strong emotional reaction from you guys. And it seemes I have indeed succeded! :) **

**To tell the truth, I have absolutely no idea where this project is going. I just woke up yesterday (for some reason dreaming about Ichimaru *blushes and coughs*), turned the PC on and this thing practically wrote itself :) I realize I've thrown you in the middle of something you might be a bit confused about, but don't worry! I'll fill the gaps eventually! :D **

**And it seems like I ended up putting a few lines in japanese in there as well... :) Left notes at the end of the chapter for you though :)**

**Also, I'm gonna be leaving updates for when there will be another chapter and stuff like that in my profile from now on, so you're free to check now and then for news :)**

**Thank you very much for the reviews, much appreciated! :) **

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

**Assassin's Creed**

"Kotowaru!" Renji stood his ground, smirking defiantly, skimming through the crowd surrounding him. He knew his chances for escape were close to none, especially with Zabimaru taken from him, but he had to at least try. Somehow.

"Don't be stupid, Abarai! Your life is trembling in the balance as it is! Don't make it worse!" small, slim woman watched his every move like a hawk waiting to descend upon its prey to deliver the killing blow, Renji's zanpakutou swinging at her side. Her steel-grey eyes narrowed, impassive and so cold even Hyourinmaru paled in comparison. "I've been ordered to escort you to the Senzaikyuu alive. However, if you don't cooperate—"

"Sumanai, Soifon-taichou, but I can't do that." Renji scratched the back of his neck. "If Kuchiki-taichou dies, I'll be executed by the Gotei 13. If not, his family's gonna call for my head on a plate. Either way I'm gonna die. And won't just wait for it to happen." Fists clenched and unclenched. "That man's got what he deserved. And _when_ he dies, justice will be served." Renji's defiance changed into a broad grin as he looked again over the assembled Onmitsukidou circling around to apprehend him but not daring to come any closer. He was the 3rd Division Captain after all.

Concentrated flow of crimson reiatsu enveloped his clenched hand, hitting the ground. "Hadou # 31: Shakkahou!"

There was no time for the 2nd Division captain to do more than step aside -skilled with shunpo as she was- as the Kidou went out of control and exploded, covering everything in thick, grey cloud of smoke and dust. Soifon covered her mouth, screams and cries carried clearly to her ears from somewhere within the blinding vale. She flash-stepped away, appearing on one of the thicker branches of a nerby tree to see Abarai Renji's fliping ponytail vanishing through cluster of bushes lining the edge of a vast forest.

"What are you waiting for, idiots!" she yelled at her subordinates as they began popping up around her. "After him!"

However Renji knew these lands like the back of his hand. He grew up in Rukongai and even after entering the Academy and then joining the Gotei 13, he still tended to spend a lot of time roaming through the vast grasslands, sun-burned steppes and rocky mountainsides. They could never catch him here. Even less so when he had a place to head for. The red-head grinned to himself, caught in the excitement of being hunted. Soifon did too good of a job for her own good. She seemed to enjoy these kinds of games more than she ought to. But he did not mind. It brough a welcomed change into otherwise dull routine of daily life in Seireitei.

Rustling sound brought Renji back to reality. His eyes darted around, and although he could not see anything except endless greenery, he knew the Onmitsukidou were at his heels. He could feel them. Smell them. Taste them. And it brought to life instincts he had long since forgotten after leaving the 11th Division to become Byakuya's lieutenant. The lust for battle and the invigorating feeling of pure adrenaline running through his veins that came along with it. He had only a few seconds warning before they appeared all around him - black shadows with gleaming eyes catching up to him with hunters' speed and agility. But these weaklings were no match for someone like him and Soifon did not seem to give pursuit herself.

"Bakudou # 1: Sai!" Abarai Renji may have been ill equipped to use Kidou, however, even the clutz he was, these low-level spells had always worked for him no matter the occasion.

Sure enough, all of the Onmitsukidou surrounding him stilled and fell to the ground, screaming with surprise or frustration, Renji couldn't tell even if he cared. He launched into Shunpo once again, leaving his pursuers far behind, and it took only a few more sidesteps and low-level Kidou blasts to break free and loose them in the impervious maze of trees and entangling wines. Far to easy it seemed to him, although it only worked to his advantage.

Panting slightly from the exaustion of using Shunpo too much, Renji finally stood on top of a hill overlooking a spacious clearing with blades of fresh emerald grass caressing his ankles as he made his way down, towards the most extraordinary-looking house he had ever seen. It could be insignificant. Only a small cottage in the middle of nowhere, if it wasn't for two giant arms rising from the ground on each side, clenched fists holding a bright red banner and even bigger chimney-like thing towering over all of it, making Renji feel uncomfortably like a delicate mushroom. He gulped, for he knew very well the landlord's attitude towards Shinigami in general and thus could not understad how that woman managed to persuade them to actually help him. But he was not in a position to argue.

"Halt! Who goes there?" pair of deep, hoarse voices made the red-head stop abruptly as two muscular giants appeared out of nowhere on each side of the thunderstruck Abarai, surmouting him by at least a feet or two. Both entirely bald with only long, ridiculous mustaches, they looked completely alike except the color of their shirts.

Renji fought hard not to laugh, although form many these two would probably look itimidating enough. "3rd Division ca—" he stopped in mid-sentence, reminding himself that now he was a wanted criminal most likely already stripped of his rank. "Abarai Renji." he said instead, head held high, taking a defensive stance, just to be safe. "I'm here to—"

"Koganehiko! Shiroganehiko! Get back to the house!" another voice called from somehere behind the building, more soft, yet sending shivers along Renji's spine.

A thick wave of reiatsu washed over him and he watched the twins' faces pale, nod and disspear to reveal much more slender and curvaceous figure of a woman with jet-black hair hidden beneath white bandages, voluminous bossom that reminded him strongly of Matsumoto Rangiku, and a missing arm. Black tattoo curled along the smooth skin of the other one.

Dark eyes fixed on Renji, he could see loathing and pain running as deep as the very core of her soul. "So, you're the idiot that _attempted_ to assassinate the Kuchiki brat?" she scrutinized him from head to foot. "I'm surprised you still live to tell the tale. The name's Shiba Kuukaku, here you go!"

She tossed him a cloak he recognized as one of Urahara's reiatsu-masking inventions and a wakizashi, before pointing to a nearby set of small hills covered with sporadically spread trees. "Head that way. And bear in mind that this is the last time I'm helping someone like you. Even if Yoruichi begs me on her knees!" and she didn't spare a single glance at the gaping former captain, who could not quite process what this was all about.

"Kuukaku-san!" Renji called and the woman stopped in her tracks, without looking at him. "Arigatou gozaimasu!" He bowed low and waited.

Shiba Kuukaku let out a snort, looking over her shoulder. "I expect you to return it, though you can have whatever else you find in there. And if you get dead, don't bother to come back." and she was gone.

Renji smiled to himself, shoving the ragged cloak over his back and sliding the slightly used sword behind his obi. For one last time he bowed in front of the Shiba residence and then turned to walk in the direction Kuukaku had indicated, launching into Shunpo again once he reached a sufficient distance.

The sun already began its journey over the gold and fuchsia horizon when Abarai Renji's feet touched the parched ground of the outskirts of Eastern Rukongai district. Cape slid down to his shoulders and he walked slowly towards the inn, where he intended to spend the night if possible. This part of Rukongai was nothing like Inuzuri, where he and Rukia grew up together, neither it resembled neat and shiny sight of Hokutan. Perfect place for someone to hide without fear for anyone to particularly care if there was a little bit of ruckus or bother him just because they don't like the way he walks. Renji liked the idea of staying here for a while before he decides what to do next.

As he walked past a jewelery store, his eyes fell into a mirror gleaming opaque in the dying sunlight. Renji took it in his hands, carefully examining his own reflection. He wouldn't recognize himself, if he didn't know it really was his face. Hair still long, flying wildly round his shoulders and back, however no longer crimson but dark-chocolate. Tattoos on his neck and forehead were completely gone and there was a scar trailing down his chin.

He chuckled. Yes, there were a few very interesting gadgets once he got himself to rummage through the cloak Shiba Kuukaku had given him. Most of them he knew, as they were often used by Kidou Corps as an amplifier for one's reiatsu for easy the use of high-level Kidou spells or to completely prevent someone from using any kind of Kidou. Also he found a Ginjōhan, pouch of Seki Seki stone and some experimental stuff from Urahara's shop which he -though a bit hesitantly at first- used according to the enclosed description to change his appearance. Yoruichi-san truly considered every possibility. With everybody looking for a Shinigami with haircolor and tattoos painfully striking the eye, they would never suspect a dark, cloaked stranger not matching the description in the slightest. And if he's lucky enough not to run into somebody he knew up close, it's going to be a walk through a park.

The inn was crammed as he entered a few minutes later, mirror left where he had taken it from. Immediately Renji settled into a corner, waiting for someone to come over to him. The waitress did not take long, bowing, asking for his order.

"You got a room available for the night?" he asked politely as she handed him a cup of sake.

She tugged at the sleeves of her flower-patterned kimono and bowed again. "Moushiwake arimasen, sir, but we do not provide such services." she pointed towards the exit. "You can try asking across the street at the Elder's house."

Renji noded in appreciation, downing his drink in a single gulp and got up. "Thank you very much." he smiled, tossing a coin on the table as well as putting another one into her hand.

She stared at him for a moment before a smile lightened her pretty, young face and bowed even lower than before. "Thank you, sir!" and she took the cup he emptied and ran off, called by another customer.

For some reason, Renji felt _happy_. He didn't know why, given the situation he found himself in and left with poor prospects of the future, but somehow...

"Hey you! Stop right there!" demanding voice came out the moment he stepped outside. It made him freeze for a moment, before he could compose himself, hand, however, resting on the handle of his sword.

Shinigami patrol loomed out of the shadows, there were six of them. Renji forced himself to calm down. It was getting dark and the street lamps did not provide much light, so even if they could see him, they surely wouldn't recognize him. He turned to face them as they came closer, conjuring as much of an innocent expression as he could muster, silently thanking Kira Izuru for wearing it so often Renji's been able to memorize it clearly.

"Have you seen a red-haired punk with weird black tattoos? He lookes like a street thug with a pineapple on his head." one of them asked and Renji had to use every bit of his self-control not to shove a fist down the man's throat. It was one thing to hear Ichigo or any of his friends call him that, but this insignificant little worm...

"No, sir. I'm sorry, sir." he managed, bowing politely, again indebted to Kira for being such a whimp. "I will make sure to look out for him, though."

The man noded, putting Renji under a detailed scrutiny before finaly relaxing, taking his hand off his zanpakutou. "You do that. But be careful, he's wanted for murder."

The words pierced the former captain's insides like a spear. Had Byakuya really died? He did not want to believe it. "Yes, sir." he managed, watching the patrol walk by to disappear from view behind a corner.

"Impressive." another voice, soft with amusement carried to his ears and Renji almost jumped, startled and looking around wildly, his hand gripping the wakizashi's handle. "No need to be alarmed, Abarai Renji-san." it came out again as figure bounced off a wall on the opposite side of the street, walking slowly towards him.

There was no mistake it was a woman, though Renji could not see her face hidden beneath a dark hood. Cloak rustled around her small, apparently slender body with every step and he could clearly see her limping.

"Who are you?" the question came out instinctively. "How do you know my name?"

"Let's just say I'm a friend who can help you." she purred seductively, coming to a halt barely inches from him. "It seems you have been accused of assassination of Kuchiki Byakuya, isn't that so? Falsely, I might add." he felt her smile, more than actually saw it.

"What's it to you?" his voice was tinted with irritation, body still tense and ready for a fight.

She laughed jingly and the sound reminded Abarai Renji of a beautiful song he had once heard, long time ago.

"Everything." she whispered, her lips almost brushing against his ear. "You see, you have taken the fall for a crime I commited. Or at least tried to commit. And failed at that." she withdrew, turning around, prepared to leave. "Follow me. We have much to discuss." and she melted into the shadows once more.

Renji stood there, in the middle of a deserted street, stellar sky shining brightly above his head dominated by a silver pearl of a full moon. Thoughts swirled through him mind, preventing him from moving. Byakuya was not dead. Not yet anyway. And the one responsible came to find him of her own volition. His lips curled up in a smile and he followed the stranger. He could not let the chance to get a revenge slip between his fingers.

o*O*o

Warmth. Safety. Tranquility. Chest heaved, brought back to life by lungs filling with air. Lips parted to take another deep breath as if it was for the first time in his life. Dull ache spread to the whole of his biódy and he became aware he had one. This new revelation made something within him turn and jump. His heart? Throbbing, soft at first but quickly intensifying invaded every fibre of his being. Fingers twitched imperceptibly, sigh came out of a sore, dry throat and eyes fluttered open. Everything around him seemed but a blurr. He blinked several times before his vision started to clear up.

Vaguely, he recognized his surroundings, though it took far too long for his brain to kick in and process all the information. Slowly, he turned his head towards a partially opened shoji door in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the outside. He was lucky, through the red and golden rays of coming dawnenveloping him like lover's arms, his eyes could see beauty beyong imagining. Silky emerald blades of grass rustling in early morning breeze, drops of dew twinkling on the edges. Long branches of a shidakezakura tree -bearing cascades of pink flowers- bending over a small glittering pond, humming and splashing as the lately not-so-many koi played tag underneath its surface.

He was home.

"I see you are awake, Kuchiki-taichou." kind, calm voice reverberated through the mildly sweet-soaked air and he turned his head again to see a woman kneeling beside him. Jet-black locks lined her smiling face, falling over her shoulders, resting on her chest in a beautiful, long braid.

"Unohana-taichou." he managed with way too much effort, noble demeanor forgotten in the wake of his condition.

She noded, still smiling as if he was a little boy in need of reasurence from his mother, and pushed him gently back into the sheets as he tried to sit up. "You will do better to stay still for a few days. Your wounds have healed already, however you've been dosed with a dangerous mixture of paralyzing poisons and Kurotsuchi-taichou had to administer some... special treatment. Though it had saved your life, there were certain side-effects and until these wear off, you will have to be very careful."

Byakuya inwardly gulped, frowning. Special treatment from the 12th Division captain could not possibly mean anything healthy. Suddenly he felt tainted, spoiled and somehow corrupted. Who knows what else that freak put inside his body in the process without anyone knowing. He did not want to think about it. Not now. Later, however, when he feels better, he will have a discussion over this with Kurotsuchi and god help him if he actually ravished Kuchiki Byakuya's body in any way. He will spend an eternity locked in a jar perched on Byakuya's table in the 6th Division office.

"What happened?" the noble asked, changing the subject for the moment, letting himself relax into a pillow.

Unohana Retsu let out a sigh. "I was hoping you might know that." she said, worried. "Random patrol found you collapsed on the ground somewhere near one of the Eastern districts of Rukongai, poisoned and bleeding. What were you doing there?"

Byakuya's eyebrows twitched as he knitted them together in a frown again. "I... I do not know." and he spoke the truth. "I have—" his voice trailed off as a set of images flashed through his now fully-awakened mind. Echo of a voice he hadn't heard in decades, laugher, clash of blades, blood and pain that was not solely his own.

"Kuchiki-taichou?" the genuine worry in the 4th Division captain's voice made him snap out of it. Their eyes met.

"I believe I have been tracking an assassin, but..." Byakuya's frown deepened. He couldn't remember any of the details.

"Who was it?" smile dissapeard from Unohana's face in a swing of a magic wand.

She scrutinized him the way only someone like her could, and he knew she could see right through him. She had always been able to since he was young. But he will not tell her. Not yet.

"Very well." she sighed in exasperation and stood up, walking towards the door. "I will send 7th Seat Yamada to check on you. Meanwhile, please try to remain still and calm." she paused for a moment, hand on the door frame. "And you should also know the Gotei 13 already found and apprehended the assassin, although he managed to get away."

Obsidian eyes darted towards her, wide with surprise, though composed features of his pale mien showed no change. "Who?" was a simple question.

She did not look at him as she answered in calm, measured tones. "Abarai Renji." and left, leaving Kuchiki Byakuya staring after her, paralyzed, heart thumping against his ribs as if wanting to break through.

* * *

***huffs* Hope there are not many grammatical mistakes ... :) Please, feel free to scold me with reviews should you wish to! And also don't hesitate to send more of your pet Espada! *opens a window* :p**

**P.S.: Umm... if you wonder about the name of this chapter, yes, it in fact has something to do with the game Assassin's Creed from Ubisoft. I've played a lot of it lately and it was that which inspired me to write ****Equality **** ... oh, god I love the game *melts***

_**Notes:**_

"**Kotowaru"**** – "I refuse."**

**_Senzaikyuu_ - that white tower Rukia was locked in :)  
**

"**Sumanai"**** – "I'm sorry."**

"**Moushiwake arimasen" **** - "My deepest apologies" (extremely polite speach)**

_**Wakizashi – **_**japanese shortsword (Gin's Shinsou is a wakizashi... just so you can imagine) **

_**Ginjōhan**_** - steel sash worn under armor, its weight makes it difficult for the wearer to move fast, but it requiers tremendous amount of force to sever**

_**Seki Seki**_** - aka Lethality Stone, completely blocks off reiatsu (the thing the walls protecting Seireitei are made of)**

_**Shoji door**_** – traditional japanese sliding door**

_**Shidakezakura**_** – aka weeping cherry; it's branches are bend like those of a weeping willow**


	6. Pieces of the Puzzle

**Hurray! Another chapter released! :) **

**This one actually made me laugh... not a very happy laughter I might add :)**

**Also I expect this to come to a conclusion in the next chapter... or maybe two, the last one probably a bit short. Next I've decided to move to one-shots, because these long shits always leave me drained and depressed.**

**On good news, however, I'm moving to a new pairing! AU Grimmjow/Ichigo one-shot already blooming in that wonderful mind of mine *MUHAHAHAHA* Which ofc doesn't mean I'm gonna abandon Byakuya or Renji, don't worry! :D**

**Suppose sorry for the slight OOCsness is in order? *bows apologetically***

**And please be merciful, I asure you this is going to have a happy ending! :) Also there is a vocabulary at the end! :)**

**Enjoy**

* * *

**Pieces of the Puzzle**

Renji was sticky with sweat pouring down over stretched muscles billowing underneath tanned, no-longer tattooed skin with every breath and every move. He felt exhausted, his whole body crying out for the merciful release of at least a few minutes rest. This one wish, however, was not to be granted to him. He huffed, pain shooting through his midsection, causing a mixture of blood and saliva pouring out of his mouth and splatter onto the wooden planks beneath him as he fell to the ground, rolling to his side in a fits of coughs.

"Shit..." he panted, chest heaving rapidly underneath the linen training clothes he wore.

Jingle laughter filled his ears and again, like the first time he had heard it, it reminded him of a song. Although the name of that song and any memories of it still kept eluding him. Renji could not help but to huff again when something heavy straddled his hips and he felt a cold and wet piece of cloth slide over his forehead, nose, cheeks, jaw and neck, washing the stinging drops of sweat away before a hand pressed a water jug to his lips. He drank full of the life-giving liquid, feeling it flowing down his throat, soothing the riled muscle. How long have they been at it already? Days? Weeks? Months? There was no way for him to know. Already he began wondering just how much longer was this going to take.

The train of his thoughts, however, was forcefully severd by a touch of moist, soft lips against his. For a moment his eyes widened before he relaxed into the kiss, though still hesitant to return it.

"You're getting better, Renji." woman's voice whispered in his ear, palm trailing down his skin still drenched with sweat. Water jug laid forgotten on the floor beside them. "But you still haven't learned to think ahead. To anticipate your opponent's attacks and strike where he is most vulnerable."

His arms crept up to sneak around her wasp waist almost automatically. "I' ain't no assassin. Y'know how I fight. One on one, no tricks. It's as simple as that."

"Fighting like that is anything _but_ simple, Renji." she got up, eyes closed. Loose strand of milk-chocolate hair fell over her beautiful, peach-colored mien and he brushed it away absently, putting it back into the bun at the back of her head.

Her slender hand reached for Renji's to pull him up and he accepted it. "But I respect your point of view. I have taught you all I know and I think it's time to put those skills into some use."

Renji tensed, heartbeat speeding up in anticipation. Finally all the waiting and endless training would be over. Frankly, he was beginning to grow tired of it. He did his best to mask those feelings, letting out only those she wished to see. Tailing Kuchiki Byakuya all those years, watching his every move had taught Renji at least something useful, though he still had a long way to perfect it.

He took a deep breath, picking up the water jug, offering it to her. It was no ordinary water. Its healing abilities were amazing and only a single sip made Renji feel he could make the whole of Soul Society bow down to him, if he wished to. His ambitions, however, lay elsewhere.

"Oi, Haruka," he spoke, carefully as to not make her close up to him again. "Are you at least gonna tell me why're you doin' this?" his eyes met hers and the color of hot chocolate reminded him of something, although he could not remember what for the life of him.

She fell silent for a long moment and Renji wanted to bash his head against a wall for screwing up yet again. But this time, there was something different about the silence. And so he waited.

"I suppose there's no harm in it." those words came out of rosy lips but a whisper. She took a gulp of water, not breaking eye-contact. "I _despise_ Kuchiki Byakuya and all he represents." her reiatsu surged with supressed rage. "I have... seen my whole family slaughtered on a whim of people like him. My father deserved it, that's true, but... my mother... and younger brother... they were innocent." she chuckled and there was nothing joyful about the sound.

"I have been born into nobility, you see. Even if we were not one of the major noble families, it was still a good life. A full life. And one day it just—" she made a gesture into the air. "Dissapeared. I promised revenge, kneeling by the graves of my mother and brother. And now I have the means. And I have you." in a blink of an eye, she crossed the space between them and planted a sweet kiss on his lips.

Renji shivered to the sensation, surprised a little. He did not actually expect her to tell him all this after such a short time together. "But why do you need me? I can't even beat you as you're now." he gestured to her arm wrapped in bandages, firmly pressed to her chest and leg crippled so irreparably she will remain limping for the rest of her life.

"Because you know Seireitei better than I do. And we will need that knowledge to achieve our goal." her gaze warmed up. "And even though we've not known each other for very long, I came to care for you a great deal. And I cannot imagine my life without you."

Abarai Renji gulped, heart sinking into the pit of his stomach. Did she just made a major confession to him? He was not ready for this. He did not know what to make of it. His cheeks flushed despite his every effort to hide it. She was a very beautiful woman, slim and graceful and round in the right places. Her skin was like silk the color of a seashell washed up onto a sun-litted shore. No man with eyes and in his right mind would be able to resist her, yet... those things Renji felt in her presence were simply reactions of his body. There was no feeling behing it. Nothing like that time with..._ him_.

He felt a hand cupping the back of his neck and he was being pulled down to meet her lips for the third time. He couldn't deny his desire for her and the way she brushed against him on many occasions, taunting him just made it all worse. Renji lost himself in that kiss. It was passionate, demanding, yearning, longing, painful. He responded to it the only way he could, his tongue slipping into that warm, sweet mouth.

She deepened it, glad he had finally returned her affection and her hand slid to his cheek, trailing the line of strong jaw and further down along his neck, copying the outline of Renji's clavicle. He moaned into her lips, resting his own hands on her hips, pressing her closer.

Steadily, they stumbled backwards, falling onto a single futton near the window with Renji being careful not to apply too much pressure on her wounds. The only way to do it was to let her sit on his stomach as she worked her way under his shirt, pulling it out of simple linen slacks and throwing it in random direction to be forgotten before it even hit the floor. Her touch was warm and extremely arousing and soft, sweet scent of roses made Renji's head spin. He ripped off the piece of cloth she had wrapped around her torso, reveling in the sight of beautiful, full breasts now free from their restrains, fitting perfectly into his palms. She arched, groaning with pleasure as he licked his thumbs before rubbing over and around her perked nipples. Propping himself on an elbow, Renji changed his hand for his tongue, then mouth as he licked and sucked, now understanding perfectly what exactly was it with infants and their addiction to their mother's breasts.

Haruka stood up on her knees, reaching up to get rid of the last piece of clothing standing in her way to heaven, tugging it off just enough for his twitching, burning length to break free. Renji gasped, momentarily going still as her fingers wrapped around him, sliding up and down at a slow, torturing pace. He captured her lips once again, abandoning all reason for primal instincts, calloused hands gliding along her slender form moving slightly to the rhythm of her strokes. It was only a matter of seconds before the rest of her clothes gave in to Renji's demands and her breath stuck in her throat, hand gripping his erection tighter as she felt soft pads of his fingers sauntering around her most intimate place, hand gripping her thigh. She bucked and slid down a little for him to penetrate her, letting out a cry and moving her hips.

It was tight and wet and Renji's finger wormed in with ease. He added a second one and then third, pushing in and pulling back out in unison with her own movement while she began stroking him faster. He felt himself leaking and the only thing he wanted now more than anything else was to feel the tight warmth all around him, enveloping him, swallowing him whole. And as if she could read his thoughts, Haruka yanked his hand free and moved higher to hover over his swolen member, still clutched firmly in her hand.

"Renji," she whispered, bending over him. "I love you."

And those words were the detonator on the bomb of Renji's sanity. What the hell was he doing? What the hell _were they_ doing? His hands shot up to grasp her hips, pushing her away from the dangerous area. "Wait!"

The look in her eyes was puzzling and a little irritated as well as dangerous, but he did not care. "We can't... I mean..." he knew he was blabbering, but he didn't want this and neither could he afford to loose her trust. Not now that they were this close. "I'm sorry, Haruka. It's too soon. I don't..." he thought quickly, skimming through Yumichika's lessons of 'How to get a girl'.

"I don't wanna take advantage of you like this. We'll celebrate when the job's done, okay? I promise." he pasted a peck on her lips and tried to smile as sincerely as he could. His heart was still racing, the need in his crotch throbing painfully, but he was no slut. And neither would he wanted to make one out of her. He couldn't do it. Not like this.

She closed her eyes, heaving a deep sight and Renji felt the need to slam his head against a wall again when a smile curled her lips and she stood up, gathering her things. "Thank you, Renji. You are... different than other men. I'm proud of you."

Abarai's heart sank even lower. He was not better. He was worse. And she had soon to find out just how much so. He should never have let it go this far. But he managed a smile and too started dressing up again, stealing glimpses of her perfect body, unable to help himself.

"Let's go, we need to be gone before dawn if we are to escape their patrols in one piece." Haruka let her hair fall around her shoulders and back, before running her fingers through the chocolate strands dangling to her waist, tying it into a ponytail.

Renji noded, forcing himself to focus only on the mission ahead, scooping up the cloak from Shiba Kuukaku and together they left the safety of an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Eastern Rukongai district, heading for the shark-infested waters of Seireitei.

o.O.o

Paintbrush tickled over a piece of parchment, leaving a single black dot on its otherwise perfectly clear surface. It stilled there for a moment before leading downwards, trailing off into a neat, beautiful curl and away from the parchment to hover inches above it. Black brows knitted together as Kuchiki Byakuya scrutinized the outcome of his effort. He was not pleased with it. Obsidian eyes narrowed, fingers grabbed the ink-stained parchment, crumpled it up and released it into a bin next to the table.

Byakuya sighed in exasperation, sure that nobody else can see or hear him. He sat back on his heels, stretching and shifting on the cusion under his knees, rubbing his temples and massaging the root of his nose. How long has he gone without proper sleep? From what Unohana-taichou had told him, it was nearly two months now since the assassination attempt and Renji's dissapearance and so far there was no indication as to where the red-head could have gone off to. But Byakuya knew better than to put his hopes into Soifon and her Onmitsukidou. Renji was bred a street stray dog from Rukongai. Nobody knew those parts better than he did. But _she_ was still lurking there somewhere as well, waiting for another chance to deliver the final blow to Kuchiki Byakuya's heart. And the noble could not help but fear it would mean the death of the one he loved the most. At least Rukia was out of danger... for now.

Another heavy sigh and Byakuya straightened up again, elbow pressed against the small woden table before him, taking out another piece of paper and dipping the paintbrush in a bottle of ink. Calligraphy had always managed to somehow bring piece and tranquility into his mind, body and soul. It remained his mantra of serenity since he was a young boy chained to his duties as the future head of his family, unable to have the childhood others took for granted. He always envied them, although he would never admit it out loud. Yes, there were pros and cons to every way of life one could possibly lead,but still, it was human nature to desire that which they could never have. But now the only thing in the world that had never once failed him could not longer grant him the peace of mind he so desperately sought. And it unnerved Kuchiki Byakuya to an extreme.

A presence brushed against the back of his restless mind and he stilled as he was, paintbrush half-way across the parchment, single drop of ink staining its yellowed surface. He listened intently with all his senses to recognize the presence that was both familiar and foreign. Brush made a thud upon an impact with the wooden desk, rolling aside before falling onto the floor as hands darted up to catch one, two, three little flying objects, all aimed for Byakuya's chest. He raised them before his eyes, holding each one carefully between two of his long fingers. Poisoned throwing knives.

His eyes widened a fraction and he made a quick Shunpo to escape yet another attack, this time coming from a black shadow with gleaming eyes launching up at him. Deftly, he grabbed Senbonzakura in the process, unsheating the sword to deflect a flying dagger and another set of knives.

"Always knew you're the best, Kuchiki-taichou." frighteningly familiar voice resonated through the still air and Byakuya felt an ice-cold fist gripe his heart. Shiver of horror ran up and down his spine.

He didn't uderstand why this would be happening, unless... "Chire, Senbon—"

"Like hell!" piece of cloth wrapped around the blade of his zanpakutou before it had gone to shikai and Byakuya wanted to laught at the futility of the attempt, had he not realized it was not just a regular cloth, but a Ginjōhan.

His eyes widened again for a split second before narrowing as he counted the chances to break Senbonzakura free of the restrain of the steel sash. He could not release it like this. And not just any Kidou could break a material so strong it could withstand the force of a captain's bankai. But it would not be an assassination if he was left with enough time to prepare an offensive.

With another few steps he learned from Shihouin Yoruichi, Byakuya escaped thrusting blades with the intention to take the fight outside, where there would not be such high risk of damage to his property, unwillingly leaving Senbonzakura lying on the floor, still wrapped in the Ginjōhan. He will return for it when the time comes. However -much to his suprise- instead of stepping out into the still warm night air he bounced off a brightly glowing barrier, thrown off balance so that it took a lot of effort not to end up spread eagle on the ground. How could this be? His opponent was right in front of his eyes the whole time! When...?

Blade pressing against the soft, pale skin of his throat severed the train of Kuchiki Byakuya's thoughts. His mask of a face firmly in place, obsidian eyes narrowed as he locked his gaze with warm, brown one now gleaming with crimson in the dimness. One of the assassin's hands reached up to gently prick his own forehead, temples and chin, and for a moment it looked like his whole face was melting away to reveal striking, wild black tattoos as well as a ruby sea of his hair, tied into a braid.

"Abarai Renji." Byakuya stated coldly, unmoving under the cold steel pressing against his Adam's apple. "I see you have picked up some new skills."

Renji grinned into his former captain's face and for only a fraction of a second Byakuya thought he could see a flicker of pain passing over his the red-head's features; like a shadow over the sun. It made the noble... uncomfortable.

"Had a good teacher." came out a quick answer, free hand outstretched until slim, pale fingers entwined with his before pulling the other person into an embrace. "S'ppose you two know each other?"

Mocking smile curled the woman's lips as she stared into Byakuya's composed mien, taking in deep of their victory. She couldn't recognize the flicker of hatred, jealousy, anger and sadness projected all at once into the raven-haired noble's stance, but Renji could. And it took much of his willpower not to end this right here and now. Only a little bit more, he told himself.

"Long time no see, Byakko." Haruka purred, leaving a peck on Renji's cheek which stretched Byakuya's self-control to the breaking point. "You have recovered quickly. As you can see I was not so lucky."

Her fingers trailed along the bandaged arm, clutched to her chest. "Though fortunately, Renji here came by and we happen to make a good team. I also heard they have charged him with your assassination. Was it another one of those pretty little tricks of yours to get yourself rid of 'useless things'?"

Byakuya did not respond. He was used to such offences, he had heard them many times since he was young just because he was born into one of the four major noble families. Discarding things they have no longer any use for without a second thought has become some kind of a family moto. But Renji was not useless, far from it. And he could not risk the red-head's life by revealing that fact.

"_Former_ Abarai-taichou," his voice was now very measured as was becoming of a Kuchiki. "Your stupidity indeed goes beyond the inane."

Fathomless, obsidian depths pierced Renji's chocolate eyes. "Do you have any idea who this woman is?" and without waiting for an answer, Byakuya glanced between the two of them before returning back to Renji, who looked somehow frozen in place, though his blade still aimed at his former captain and lover's throat. "She is a castless. Renegade. She abandoned the life she had been served on a silver plate to seek something far beyond her reach."

"Damare!" Haruka's yell snaped Renji back into reality, something glittered in her hand and in a matter of seconds, Byakuya was lying on the floor with her straddling him, tiny blade pressed against the hollow of the noble's clavicle.

He did not seem to mind, thought. As if he knew something the other two had not.

"You _murdered_ my family. Tried to make me a good little girl by leaving me with foster parents. Did you honestly expect I have forgotten? Did you _expect_ I have forgiven?" She was shaking, the only thing supporting her weight being the blade pressed against Byakuya's skin. Droplet of blood stained the otherwise flawless porcelain surface. "My father was a bastard. He deserved what he got, but... mother." tears prickled in her eyes and Renji just stood there, watching. He did not know what to do, but whatever this was all about, he wanted it to keep going. Not only because it would unravel yet another part of his former captain's past and maybe even offer some clue to the mystery surrounding the noble to this day, but also because he needed things to go as slowly as possible.

"Mother and little brother haven't done anything to hurt anyone! And you slaughtered them..." her voice broke.

He looked at her, ignoring the tricklet of blood pouring down his chest. Renji could not understand how can he be so fuckin' calm like this while bleeding more still. He reached to pull Haruka away or at least do something, anything, but at that moment, Byakuya spoke.

"Your brother is not dead, Haruka."

They both looked at him with shock, but he did not move. He did nothing, just lay there face to face with two assassins that came all the way here to the very heart of Seireitei, only to kill him. One of them being his lover and the person Byakuya treasured as much as he did his little sister.

"Unfortunately for us, Aizen Sousuke is very much alive."

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**Shit... I should stop watching The Tudors, it's affecting me. Badly ... **

**You're probably going to stone me for this... if not, I'm gonna do it myself :) **

**Sorry for taking poor Suke's name like this, but I thought it will add to the story... we all know he's been born to a lesser nobility, but nothing is known about him before he became Shinji's vice-captain... so I thought I could play a little with his past :) **

**If Kubo-sensei reveals something about Sousuke that contradicts this story, future readers, please ignore it! :) **

**Vocabulary:**

_**Byakko **_**–****I've used it as a nickname, but Byakko is actually one of the four symbols of Chinese Constellations, also know as "The White Tiger of the West" **

„_**Damare"**_** – „Shut up."**


	7. Betrayal Knows My Name

**Yatta! It took me a while... I feel drained Y_Y **

**Well... This should have been the last chapter, but somehow there is a little bit more to explain, so the next one will be the last! :) Also... I haven't recieved any reviews for the sixth chapter *sobs* ... well, suppose everyone's on vacation :)**

**Anyhow, the ending seems a bit crappy to me, but I couldn't find a better way to do it... :) And in case you're wondering, the name of this chapter was inspired by an outgoing anime and manga series called Uragiri wa Boku no Namae o Shitteiru (= betrayal knows my name) :) It doesn't have anthing to do with the contents of this chapter, but still I kinda liked it! *sweat drop*  
**

**... Italics for a flashback sequence... And also there's a vocabulary at the end of the chapter! :)**

**Enjoy!**

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**Betrayal Knows My Name**

_Jingle, cheery laughter breathed life back into the slowly verding backyard, still half-slumbering after a long, harsh winter. A girl, seemingly barely twelve years of age looked up from the rolls of parchment in her lap, wrapping a thick, fur coat more firmly around her shoulders. Her hand immediatelly shot up to cover her eyes against the blinding sun, warming the earth with it's early spring rays of gold. There was not a single cloud in the perfectly pale blue sky. _

_The childish laughter again reached her ears, now closer and louder and she could see an outline of a petite silhouette, looming from the bright light her eyes slowly grew accustomed to. Mirth curled the corners of her lips as she put her work aside, jumping over the wooden railing of a simple, small gazebo with a single swift movement, attempting to catch the intruder, running towards her. The boy, however, was agile and quick. He slipped through her arms and dashed across the yard, taking a sharp turn in the middle of the nearest arched japanese bridge, connecting both parts of the garden, divided by numerous ponds and a river._

„_Haru-nee!" he waved at the girl with a small hand, wrapped in a thick, fur glove, breath coming out of his mouth in white puffs as he smiled broadly. Slightly curled, dark-chocolate hair flying willy-nilly across his round, boyish face, cheeks tinted with reddish shade of pink from the chilly air. Small lips partially hidden behind a long, snow-white scarf, dangling from his shoulders before he managed to coil it firmly around his slim neck, tugging it's laps underneath a brown, fur coat. _

_Before she could respond, however, he turned his back to her, jumping on the bridge's railing and up the thick branches of the nearest fuyuzakura tree._

„_Suke, don't you dare-" but he did. The small body crouched and then leapt up, flying through the air for a few seconds before gravity had reclaimed him and he was being pulled towards the still frozen, fairly cold and hard ground. _

_In the last moments, his gloved hands reached up, fingers gripping the edge of a hedge, separating the garden from the rest of the Noble's Quarter of Seireitei and with a huff his body hit the cold bricks and with a bit of effort, he pulled himself up, perching on top of the reishi made wall._

„_Suke!" the girl stopped, panting, only a few meters away, brows knitted together in a frown, looking up at the still smiling boy, brushing loose strands of hair -only a shade lighter than his own- out of her eyes. „Come back here. Now!" _

_He looked at her for a moment, their eyes met – two pairs of warm, milk-chocolate depths. Then he jumped off, landing neatly infront of his sister, who immediately sank to one knee, examining her little brother from head to foot._

„_What were you thinking? You could have seriously injured yourself!" she scolded him before she wrapped him firmly in her arms._

„_I'm sorry, Haru-nee." he whispered into her hair and when they parted, her hands cluthing his small shoulders, he smiled again, eyes sparkling. However, although it was a genuine, joyful smile, it made him look somehow reluctant. Unsure of himself._

_The little boy's face turned slowly into a much older and more handsome one with thin line of lips, smiling gently, milk-chocolate eyes framed in black, square spectacles. Short, dark-brown hair falling over his forehead. He seemed somewhat familiar, though she could not explain it. He looked her way as if he knew she was watching from behind an old storage building and for a moment, their eyes met and she saw fierce intelligence as well as cold caginess without even a hint of compassion in that gaze and it inadvertedly made her shiver, icy finger running up and down her spine. However, Haruka did not flinch or look away. She boldly returned his piercing stare untill he himself turner away, dissapearing in a swish of white haori over the corner, tall, slim, silver-haired man trailing behind him, sparing but a fleeting look in the same direction, wide, sly grin spreading over fox-like face, eyes seemingly shut tight._

Aizen_ Sousuke... her Suke..._

„What have you done to him?" Haruka's voice came out but a feral growl. „That man is _not_ my brother." she dragged the blade along Kuchiki Byakuya's clavicle, leaving a blood-red scar in it's wake, staining the alabaster skin.

This time, Byakuya flinched, his eyes narrowed and Renji jumped forward, pulling Haruka off the Captain and just in time too, for only a split second later a deafening explosion shook the whole Kuchiki mansion, silencing the woman's protests as shockwave swept both assassins off their feet, throwing them out into the courtyard, the Kidou barrier Haruka erected earlier shattering to pieces. Renji understood immediately why Byakuya so easily allowed himself to be overpowered, talking his way through these past few minutes, suffering a blade pressed at his throat. He was stalling, diverting their attention from the Kidou he prepared. Yes, unfortunately, for Kuchiki Byakuya there was no need to voice incantation even for level 90 Kidou spells aloud, he just needed to go through the words in his mind, which made him –at least in Renji's eyes- almost as frightening as Aizen himself.

They both managed to land on their feet, Renji clutching his accomplice to his chest, trying not to think of her as the traitor's sister. He was shocked by the information, but this was hardly the time to ponder about things they could do nothing about anyway.

Haruka wriggled herself out of his arms, standing upright. They both watched dust and splinters settling down to reveal utterly wrecked front side of Kuchiki Byakuya's study, almost as if some giant jaws ripped the front of the house out. For a second, Renji's stomach made a flip, not knowing what happened to the noble, however, as he soon realized something like this could not possibly bring the proud Captain of the 6th Division to his knees.

„Chire, Senbonzakura." and hundreds of glittering, pink petal-like blades shot through the choking cloud of dust, zooming towards them with impossible speed.

„Bakudou # 81: Danku." Renji's words cut through the air, clear and quite calm, grin spreading over his tattooed face. Senbonzakura's petals harmlessly bounced off the Kidou barrier, returning to circle around their wielder.

Figure of Kuchiki Byakuya loomed from the wreckage, eyes widening with surprise on his former Vice-Captain's ability to suddenly use high-level Kidou spell without an incantation. Obsidian pearls fell onto the red-head's torn sleeve, where there were three black stripes etched into his wrist. Two immediately dispersed as the barrier shattered and Byakuya's eyes widened even more when there was only one assassin now, kneeling before him, instead of two. He whirled around just in time, sending his zanpakutou towards the attacking shadow. Haruka, however was not just a self-proclaimed assassin. She vanished into shunpo, appearing here and there, circling the noble as he waved his hand to better control the pink petals, fluterring around his slender frame as if carried by a non-existent breeze. It came slashing through the air like a whip over and over again, missing by inches before coming back to shield Byakuya as effectively as Haruka dodged his speeding-up lunges.

Renji watched them, unable to help himself not to marvel at the speed, agility and elegance with which both opponents parried each other's attacks before going to offensive again, clothes swishing and whirling around their equaly graceful forms, more than anything else reminding him of a dance. Deadly dance, yes, but beautiful nontheless.

Kuchiki's eyes narrowed again, he watched the illusory figures forming all around him, knowing only one of them being of any real danger to him. Long, slim finger reached from within his midnight-blue kimono. „Bakudou # 61: Rikujou Kourou."

Nothing happened and Bykuya's heart had stopped beating.

„Owari da, Kuchiki Byakuya." a soft voice spoke in his left ear, mocking and tinted with grim satisfaction and then many things happened at once and it took a while for the 6th Division Captain to take it all in.

His eyes flew open in surprise and what could possibly be described as fear. He could almost feel the cold sting of steel, trying to find it's ways through his clothes and skin to protrude his chest and he knew there was nothing he could do about it. But the pain of being impaled on a glittering blade, the feeling of warm, crimson blood flowing through his fingers, the sensation of life being forcefully taken from him – none of it ever came. And Byakuya blinked once, twice, three times to see another shadow launching up at him, missing by inches and hear audible protests escaping Haruka's lips as she was dragged away from her prey by a pair of strong, tattooed arms to rest only few meters away on a wet, soft, green grass. And again Kuchiki Byakuya's obsidian pools were the only thing giving away the wave of emotions that swept over him, as his gaze met with Renji's for a fraction of a second before the red-head grabbed the slender woman more firmly in an embrace, burying his face in her long, dark-brown hair before cupping her cheek and joining their lips in a long, drawn, soft, sweet and a little salty kiss.

She moaned into his mouth, wanting but utterly confused by the sudden assault so that for a moment she forgot about her raven-haired target watching the two of them with mixture of pain, anger and jealousy and Renji moving his hands along her arms. A clank pierced the silence, bringing her back to reality and she jerked away from him, or tried to had he been willing to let go.

Her eyes went wide as she realized he had bound her hands behind her back. „What-?"

But she understood in an instant as one dark shadow after another began popping out all around them. Small, petite figure loomed out from behind Renji's broad shoulders, black eyes narrowed and gleaming, white haori flipping behind her.

„I must say," the 2nd Division Captain came to a halt two steps from him, swirling Zabimaru in her fingers. „I had my doubts about your being able to finish the job, Abarai-_taichou_." she tossed the zanpakutou and he cought it, suddenly feeling whole again, without really realizing there was something missing to begin with. „Seize her." she commanded.

Haruka's otherwise beautiful face contorted with fury and pain. Milk-chocolate eyes pierced obsidian ones, narrowed and expressionless again before turning to brown-red of her would-be lover. Renji faced it boldly as he stood by his former Captain's side, Zabimaru swung over his shoulder. He did not say anything to Soifon nor looked at her, only watched as the woman he just realized he had feelings for was being secured for transport to the Maggot's Nest. There was but one question etched in her fierce, glittering eyes. _Why?_

„Don't worry, she will be executed if the Kuchiki clan has anything to say about it." Soifon smirked and turned away, but before they left, there was a spit on the ground at Renji's and Byakuya's feet.

Haruka laughed a hollow, painful laughter. „It doesn't matter. I'm already dying from something worse than death." her gaze hardened as she swept between the noble and the red-headed Captain. Byakuya was looking away, seemingly oblivious to what was going on around him, sheathing Senbonzakura. Something broke within Renji as her eyes lingered upon him and she uttered in a voice he could not describe, but it tore away part of his soul. „Betrayal." and they all dissapeared in shunpo, leaving the 6th Division Captain and his former Vice-Captain standing alone in the middle of Kuchiki manor's inner gardens, under the inky-black sky, with only a soft humming of water to keep them company.

„S'ppose I gotta pay for that." Renji inclined his head towards the partially destroyed mansion, scrubbing the back of his neck, sighing.

Byakuya did not answer, his head tilted up to watch the dark shapes of clouds obscuring the silvery glitter of stars and crescent moon high above. Gust of wind swept past him, playfully running through raven hair, devoid of the usual insignia of his status. It smelled of coming storm, but he payed no heed to it, his mind slowly sinking into the world of memories. It happened so long ago, Byakuya was but a small child and his family never wanted to speak about it, but the future heir of the Kuchiki family was cunning and smart enough to find out what others kept hidden. Especially when they deliberately did not want him to know or hear it.

The fragments of facts he had collected were confusing and incomplete, however the core of the story remained somehow intact. Byakuya knew by now that many nobles were more than willing to dig their hands in mud elbow-deep, if there was even a tiny chance for them to climb higher or to gain any more benefits and it was also quite common to see these ambitious pigs fall as quickly as they had risen to power. Though one in particular tried to hang on tooth and nail before finally being stripped off his position in Central 46, which resulted in something none of those responsible could ever predict. As far as Byakuya knew they did not even care and that was the first and the last time he had seen his grandfather stand up against the Central 46, when they ordered anihilation of the whole noble family simply out of fear of what might happen to them if a man driven mad by their plots and machinations was to remain among their ranks – though he himself was not entirely without blame for what had happened to him. Little Byakuya overheard Ginrei and Yoruichi planning to send their own forces to the noble's mansion –he never heard them speak the man's name- and save at least the two children and their mother, who had not done anything to deserve to an execution like this. It was for the first time then, the future 6th Division Captain discerned the choking of disgust in the pit of his stomach, feeling sick of the world he was destined to take part in and lost part of the arogance coming hand-in-hand with being born into one of the four major noble houses, having his place firmly secured by his birthright.

Few days later as Byakuya tried to stalk his grandfather to another meeting with the newly appointed Onmitsukidou Commander, it took him a moment to recognize Yoruichi's voice, dripping scorn and it was not untill ten minutes later, crouched behind bushes lining the courtyard of the Kuchiki manor, that he finally understood the reason behind Shihouin clan leader's distress. The two children –boy about Byakuya's age and his older sister- were saved, however their mother had not survived. According to Yoruichi she was killed by her own husband in a fit of rage, who then tried to kill his children as well, seemingly under the impression it would be better for them to die by his own hand than being dragged in mud by Central 46. Apparently the older girl saw her mother's mangled corpse lying in a pool of blood right next to the small, limp body of her younger brother and froze, watching as flames began consuming the house and licking the two lifeless shadows, an outline of masked men standing out against the orange and red flames, Kuchiki family crests the only thing she could see clearly before someone snatched her away.

Kuchiki Byakuya forced himself to take a deep breath, slowly slipping back to the present where storm was coming quickly, drops of rain beginning to fall from the heavy clouds above him, cool and refreshing on soft, porcelain skin and Renji was fidgeting nearby, waiting for something Byakuya did not dare to guess. Haruka had no way of knowing her brother survived after all and assumed those men she saw were the ones responsible for his and their mother's death and Ginrei did not discourage this assumption when giving her away to her foster parents, knowing all too well the two siblings had to be raised separately to avoid questions likely to be raised should there be two new children appearing out of nowhere so shortly after they were supposed to die in an „accidental" conflagration of a noble's household. If she hadn't ran away after a few months, she would have eventually found out and all would be different. And underestimating her brother for being too young to remember anything was not such a good idea either.

The rain thickened. There were no longer small drops but a pour of water falling from the blackened sky and Byakuya found himself standing side by side with silent 3rd Division Captain, looking at the downpour from the safety of the still-standing part of the Kuchiki mansion, though he could not remember moving.

„Renji," his voice was quiet, yet clearly audible through the drumming of raindrops.

„Yeah, I know. I screwed up again." the red-head did not let him finish, again scratching the back of his neck. Only now Byakuya realized he let his hair loose so that it now curtained his face, falling over shoulders and back in crimson, damp strands. Black eyes met brown, there was no hint of the red gleam he saw earlier. „But y'see, it's no good to bear everythin' yourself. You're not alone," a pregnant pause when Renji looked sideways, shadow of difficult internal struggle etched into his tattooed face. „Byakuya."

The noble stared at his former lieutenant for a moment. When was the last time he had heard his given name pass through those lips? He remembered quite clearly the night in the Captains' onsen. And he also vividly remembered what he had said afterwards. And yet...

„I would prefer your adressing me with proper honorific, Abarai-taichou. As far as I am concerned, we have not yet arrived at first name basis." there was a flicker of mischief in his voice. „Nor should you patronize me of what you know nothing about."

Renji let out an irritated snort that sounded suspiciously like: „Tight ass.", pointing an index finger at his former Captain. „And you shouldn't talk like that to someone who just patched you up!" his eyes flared. „What the hell were you spacin' out about? Wanna bleed to death or what?"

Byakuya blinked, reaching along his clavicle. The wound was carefuly coated with medical ointment every shinigami carried in the hilt of their zanpakutou in case of an emergency. When did he...?

„I was hardly in any danger of bleeding to death, Abarai-taichou." Byakuya could not help himself to tease the red-head, satisfied with an annoyed twitch of Renji's right eye. He quickly chose to continue before the other had a chance to start barking again. „However, I am grateful." obsidian eyes searched again for their chocolate counterparts. „For everything."

In that moment Renji's face almost matched the color of his hair. He looked away again, watching the rain bouncing off the kidou barrier he had erected using the last remaining reiatsu enhancer, circling his wrist to keep them and the rest of the house warm and dry. A quick thought ran through his mind – where was everybody? Usually there would be tons of servants running about, lamenting, to see to their master's every need, but now there were only the two of them. Alone. Had Byakuya sent everyone away? To protect them? Had he known they were coming for him tonight? Renji's brows furrowed. How could he?

„Renji," Byakuya's calm, but urgent voice brought him back and Renji realized those deep, black eyes were still upon him. However there was something different about the way they glittered in the lamplight. The noble looked bothered by something, unsure how to voice his concerns and Renji decided it would be better to swallow any flippant retort about hypocrites and first name basis'.

For what seemed like an eternity they only looked at each other, untill the 6th Division Captain finally spoke again. „Are you in love with that woman?"

Such out-of-the-blue question caught Renji off guard. Why would Byakuya ask such a thing? Moreover, how was he to respond? He could not deny he had some kind of feelings for Haruka, but...

„Don't be ridiculous, Kuchiki-taichou." he covered his surprise with a snort. „She's Aizen's sister."

„That fact does not make any difference." Byakuya retorted, x-raying Renji now with increasing interest.

„'Course it does! I mean..." he paused for a moment, gesturing his hands wildly. „C'mon, taichou, she's _Aizen's_ sister!"

Raised eyebrow was the only reaction Renji recieved. He tried opening and closing his mouth repeatedly, thinking hard of what to say before he gave up, heaving a deep, exasperated sigh and deciding to simply stick to the truth. „Dunno. Maybe I am. 'S compli—„

The 3rd Division Captain was cut mid-sentence by a feeling of hot, moist lips pressing against his own. His eyes widened to the size of small saucers as one cold hand cupped his cheek, while the other ran through his wet, crimson strands. He was looking straight into fathomless, obsidian depths of Kuchiki Byakuya's eyes, now more heavy-lidded than usual and he felt like he was being pulled into that bewitching nothingness, threatening to consume him whole.

Without thinking, Renji's arms curled around Byakuya's neck in search for purchase before he would be swept away by the tidal wave of memories and emotions suddenly overpowering his body and mind and his heart skipped a beat when the noble's hold over him tightened and those black eyes slid close, mouth opening to Renji's tentative tongue. In that moment, everything became perfectly clear.

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**Well then... review, review, review... don't mind criticism! :D And I appologize for any grammatical mistakes... don't have beta and even though I'm reading through it about three times to eliminate mistakes, still there are some sneaky bastards still hiding :)**

**Notes:**

**Owari da - It's over**


	8. Silver Lining

**Rejoice! The final chapter is here! And it's long like hell :D And there's a happy ending I suppose too... sort of! And maybe, If you guys like it and all, I'm gonna write a few one-shot sequels just for the fun of it :) **

**Hope I've iradicated most of the gramatical mistakes... :)**

**Again, there's a vocabulary at the end of the page :)**

**Enjoy :)**

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**Silver Lining**

Low grunt leaving his lips, Abarai Renji tossed and turned. His eyes fluttered open to look at a fancy, unfamiliar ceiling. Black, tattooed brows furrowed in contemplation and it took about a minute for his slowed senses to process the sight all the way to his brain. He remembered he had fallen asleep in one of many large bedrooms of the Kuchiki mansion and rolled to his side, arm folded under his head, gaze falling on the only other occupant of the room. Corners of his mouth twitched.

About a feet from him, curled up on his own feathery futton laid Kuchiki Byakuya, fallow face somewhat peaceful and relaxed, the ever-present austerity completely erased by small signs of contentment - cheeks slightly flushed, thin lips alight with a soft smile. From the way the noble's thick, black eyelashes fluttered now and then Renji could guess he was being comforted by what seemed like a very pleasant dream. A strand of raven hair fell over his forehead and nose to rest on clenched fists Byakuya pulled closer to his cheek, heaving a sigh, still fast asleep. It was the cutest and most adorable sight Renji had ever seen.

And then he blinked in surprise and had a hard time supressing a chuckle.

Byakuya started _snoring_. However, more than the usual kind of the sound one could define as such, the noble's snorts resembled more of a soft purring of a cat.

For long minutes Renji only watched, beguiled by the sight of the exquisite beauty infront of him, feeling somehow honored to be the one who gets to see this innocent, cute and so uncharacteristic side of the otherwise measured and arrogant Captain of the 6th Division others had known him to be. But Abarai Renji knew better now than to judge a book by it's cover. And his smile slowly faded as the events of the past night came lurking back into his freshly awakened mind and he suddenly felt like he couldn't stay any longer.

Very quietly, as to not wake Byakuya up, the red-head got to his feet. Folds of white, flower-patterned kinagashi tickled his bared, tattooed skin and Renji paused for a brief moment, wondering why would the noble have stashed a spare kimono that fits him so perfectly. He let the thought go, however, rolling up the futton he had been sleeping on and picking up Kuukaku's tattered cloak. A leather pouch fell out with a soft thud as it hit the floor and a few small coin-like objects rolled out. Renji scooped them up before they could make any more noise and again he paused, frowning at the things glittering in his open palm. These were the last of what remained of the reiatsu enhancers he had found inside the cloak, these in particular used to rend the target unable to use Kidou. But not one of them was missing. And Renji remembered quite clearly Byakuya's failure to produce his favourite Bakudou the night before. How could this be? He would have thought Haruka used them...

Renji shook his head. Thinking about the assassin made his heart squeeze in his chest and he didn't like the feeling. With renewed resolution not to ponder things like that just now, he folded the cloak, closed the leather pouch and shoved it underneath his kinagashi, sneaking out of the room, Zabimaru safely by his side.

„Renji." a voice, refind and a little questioning made him stop in his tracks, hand at the door frame. Quickly, the 3rd Division Captain put up as all-happy-and-well-rested kind of face as he could muster and turned around.

Byakuya was watching him, leaning against a pillow and propped up on his elbows. Fathomless, heavy-lidded eyes still bearing the remnants of sleep, long, raven strands disheveled it made him at least a couple of decades younger, soft, flawless porcelain skin clearly visible as the midnight-blue fabrick of the noble's kinagashi slid from his shoulder inviting the red-head to touch. To taste. To kiss. Renji fought hard not to succumb to what one might call attempts at seduction, although in Byakuya's case it was probably all unintentional. He knew better than to drown the quilt left by Haruka's words in arms of another. Not after he outright refused the Captain's advances last night.

„Sorry, Kuchiki-taichou. Didn't mean to wake you." he said sheepishly and blinked.

Was that a smirk flickering across Byakuya's face just now? „An impossible task indeed, given your stamping would in all likelihood wake even the dead."

Renji's face turned red as he ruffled up. „You're one to talk, snorin' like an onibaba!" he lied.

Kuchiki Byakuya's expression changed rapidly and Renji knew at once he had just overstepped the bounds as obsidian eyes narrowed and flared, face the mask of stone, lips but a thin line. The noble turned away, coughing indignantly. „I am quite certain I _do not_ snore, Abarai-_taichou_. 'Tis far more likely you are having hallucinations."

Like hell I am, Renji supressed an incisive reply. Since he hasn't yet been reduced to nibbles and Byakuya's cheeks seemed to flush with slight, rosy tint again he knew it was all but a joke, apparently to cheer him up. And it worked, at least for a while.

„Ne, Kuchiki-taichou," Renji's mumble pierced the silence that fell between them. Obsidian eyes turned to him once more, the gaze as serious as the red-head's own voice. With Byakuya already awake, he might as well ask out. „How come you weren't able to use Rikujou Kourou?"

Byakuya thought for a moment as if skimming through the events of the previous night, before he let out what sounded like an irritated snort, though very soft. „It seems as though my being unable to use any kind of Kidou is one of the side effects of Kurotsuchi Mayuri's treatment, since as I have been dosed with quite an interesting mixture of different poisons in Haruka's first attempt on my life and according to Unohana-taichou _he_ is the only one sufficiently equipped to deal with such a problem."

Renji's brows furrowed. „But you destroyed part of the mansion-"

The noble interrupted him by slightly shaking his head. „'Twere some of the 12th Division's devices I was given to protect myself should another such attack occur and the Onmitsukidou were indisposed for some reason." he tugged at his sleeve. „I have been carrying them around ever since."

Renji's mouth twitched again. How much stuff could actually _fit_ into Byakuya's sleeves anyhow? First it was candy for Yachiru and now explosives. And then another question came to his mind. „But how come you tried to use Kidou when you knew it wouldn't work?"

Kuchiki's eyes slipped out of focus for a fraction of a second, brows knitted together as if he thought of what to say. Long, slender fingers reached up to caress his chin. „I have forgotten." he said simply.

What the hell...? An imaginary sweat drop slid along Renji's temple. How could someone _forget_ such a thing?

„But it's not permanent, right?" he asked eventually, now a bit worried.

The look Kuchiki Byakuya gave him could easily turn anyone else into a block of ice. But not Renji, he grew quite accustomed to such stares over the years. It was the kind usually preceding two simple words: „Chire, Senbonzakura." and a great deal of pain on the recieving side. Despite of himself, the 3rd Division Captain couldn't help to feel sorry for the mad scientist, because if Byakuya's inability to use Kidou spells was to be permanent, he was sure the 12th Division Captain would spend the rest of his life in a matchbox. And that's if he's lucky.

o.O.o

Vast lawns and fields of Western Rukongai rolled on under his feet as Renji launched into shunpo again and again on his way back from Shiba Kuukaku's house, slowing down only to enjoy the feeling of soft grass tickling his ankles, drops of dew lazily sliding along the emerald blades to twinkle in the still dim light of the break of dawn. He had managed to get to the 3rd Division Captain's quarters still under the cover of night, though the horizon began to pale as he emerged, dressed in black shihakusho about ten minutes later, folding haori underneath his clothes and leaving Zabimaru behind since without any special wartime orders, it was forbiden for Captain and Vice-Captain class Shinigami to carry around their weapons. The zanpakutou was not too happy about it, but Renji was not in a mood to argue. He slept like three hours, knew he needed to face Kira Izuru today, who probably didn't know a thing about this whole mess with Byakuya's assassination and was likely to believe yet another Captain had betrayed him and Renji still felt unsure of how exactly he should explain it all. And to make things worse, for the whole journey to Shiba's residence to return the cloak and back to Seireitei, where he stood now, watching the first sunrays touch the top of the Shrine of Pertinence, he could not for the life of him get Haruka and the sound of her voice out of his head. Yeah, now he finally remembered the song her laughter always reminded him of. He had heard it a few times when he was still in the 5th Division.

There weren't many things Renji came to like about Aizen Sousuke now that the cat was out of the bag, but there were at least two the red-head could not help but admire in a way. The first being Aizen's gall to actually _do_ what Renji knew many before him had been craving to do, including himself – the annihilation of Central 46. If there was something at least half of Seireitei agreed upon with the traitor, it was that those old geezers had it coming and that they've got what they deserved. Thought nobody would ever admit it out loud. The second thing Renji had pleasant memories of, on the other had, was the former 5th Division Captain's singing. There were numerous times many of the 5th Division, including quite a few members of other squads gathered within the Division's barracks to listen to Aizen's voice and the soft, bewitching melody he used to play on an old, grand piano. He called the song Flower petals and for some reason, now that Renji thought back to those days, the lyrics reminded him of Kuchiki Byakuya:

_A courageous person with a brave figure_

_Resembles the flowers in full bloom_

_Let's make it rain, let's make it stop_

_Let's make the rain pour down on everything._

_If your heart starts to stain it can not stop_

_The rain begins to pour now in this moment._

_It's okay if you begin to slip and quietly soak it in,_

_Like a shower of flower petals that give way._

_It's okay if you gently close your eyes and sleep motionlessly_

_A shower of flower petals will probably come to pass._

Without realizing his legs were carrying him on and with the last remnants of the song still etched into his mind, Renji suddenly looked up, finding himself infront of the 3rd Division offices to a welcoming sound of buzzing voices and river of black and white flowing in an out of the building. He fished in his shihakusho for the Captain's haori, throwing it over his shoulders, heaving a deep sight not unlike someone prepared to jump off a bridge in hope he will emerge alive and whole.

Everything stopped as he walked through the crowd, all Shinigami making a way for him to the Captain's office. Renji could feel their stares at his back and decided to pretend he doesn't hear the chitter-chatter that broke off immediately when they though he was out of earshot. The sharp sting of guilt, pressing on his insides shifted painfuly. They probably thought the traitor had returned and didn't understand how's that possible, but nobody seemed brave enough to stand out and Renji, for one, was glad for it. It was quite enough for him to have to explain everything to a single person, let alone the whole 3rd Division.

As he came near the office a clutter of voices carried to his ears. It was coming from behind the door he was about to enter and he could distinctly make out Kira and what sounded like two girls arguing about something. He straightened up, hands out of his pockets and came in.

Everything went quiet at once. Three pairs of eyes dilated and narrowed again upon the sight of him. As he expected, the girls' voices belonged to the 3rd and 4th Seats.

„Abarai-taichou." Kira Izuru was the first to speak, his voice tinted with surprise and disbelief. The two girls only stared.

Renji inclined his head awkwardly and before someone else could do anything, he asked with a serious expression so unlike him he had hoped he would never need to put it on again. „How've you all been?" and without waiting for an answer he continued. „'Sppose there's a lot of explanation to do so just listen and then start yellin' or whatever else you might feel like doin', okay?"

And he began to paint what had happened since the day after the Captain's meeting two months ago where there was investigation going on by the Onmitsukidou in the Eastern Rukongai, where Kuchiki Byakuya was found, resulting in nothing at all. How Yamamoto-soutaichou devised a plan, though based on pure speculations to catch the so-called assassin and Renji had volunteered to play the bait. How Kyouraku and Ukitake confirmed he was the best for the job, because he was the last to see the Kuchiki before he was attacked and almost everybody knew about their frequent arguments with one another. How they used Shihouin Yoruichi's influence to spread the net as far as possible without any information slipping outside the walls of the 1st Division Headquarters and how, after two weeks of preparations the trap was finally set up and Soifon pulled the trigger by letting out the news about Abarai Renji being accused of Kuchiki Byakuya's assassination and together they needed only to play out a little performance for the crowds.

And by the time he had finished all about Haruka –leaving out the stuff about emotional involvement, most of the story of her origins and reasons for hating Byakuya and her relationship with Aizen- the silence grew so thick, there was no doubt about at least half of the 3rd Division being crammed outside the office, ears pressed against the door to hear as much as possible.

„I'm sorry about all I've put you through after only three weeks of bein' your Captain. But it was somethin' I needed to do." Renji closed his tale finally and waited, surprisingly only a little bit anxious.

To his utter astonishement and not-at-all little surprise, however, both the 3rd and 4th Seat leaned over the completely thunderstruck Vice-Captain, smirking maliciously, eyes gleaming.

„See, Kira-fukutaichou? Told ya it was 'bout Kuchiki-taichou." the 4th Seat said triumphantly.

Her friend's grin widened as she propped her face with her hand, nose only inches from Kira's, who looked like he was about to faint. „I wonder, what're you gonna do now that you've lost the bet?"

The blond, utterly terrified now, blue eyes the size of small saucers looked from one girl to another before locking his gaze with Renji who only stood there, frozen to the spot, quite unable to comprehend what was going on. He expected yelling and accusations and whining and having to earn their trust all over again but now he could only stare, making a mental note to ban this kind of gambling if Kira gets out of this alive. He didn't even want to know what the bet was about because the audible gulp and the horror reflected in the blond Vice-Captain's eyes were eloquent enough.

„T-tasukete kudasai, taichou!" Izuru whimpered feebly, almost on the verge of tears.

o.O.o

The following days passed by in a flood of forms and papers piled up high during Renji's absence. Since he was never officialy stripped off his rank as the 3rd Division Captain, Kira had had his hands bound with some of the more important things requiring the Captain's attention and so Abarai Renji had to spend one dull, hot day after another sitting at his desk, reading and signing only to have _more_ work delivered right away. Waking up shortly before surnise each day, washing, dressing himself up and shambling into his office only to leave long after sunset, completely exhausted, all thoughts driven out of his mind except the anticipation of a warm, soft, comforting bed, Renji felt immensely relieved as he reached out to take yet another pile of papers to realize there were no more left.

He heaved a great sigh and sprawled over his desk, drenched with sweat, desiring nothing more than to leave this wretched place and not come back for at least another two months. He couldn't even find the time to go see how Byakuya was doing over these past three weeks since Haruka's arrest. Only rumors reached his ears. Apparently the Kuchiki clan decided to take the matter of Byakuya's assassination into their own hands, disregarning the Gotei 13's authority completely and moved Haruka from Maggot's Nest into the Shrine of Pertinence to await execution. This brought back memories Renji would very much like to have left buried deep within his soul. He tried to visit her once, but was forbiden to enter and couldn't help to feel relieved at least a little bit that he didn't have to face her after all. They will see each other at the top of Soukyoku Hill soon enough anyway. Even though the Soukyoku itself has been destroyed, there were still many other tools standing ready to fulfill it's grim duty. But Renji did not want her to be executed like this. She wasn't innocent, he knew that very well and one part of his heart, that which loved Byakuya beyond all reason kept screeming for justice, however the other, still holding feelings for Haruka wanted this madness to stop. Just like with Rukia's execution, however different the two of them might have been.

The red-head's hands ran through his crimson hair, tied again in a pineapple-like ponytail. He found himself at a loss. His Captaincy now felt like a set of heavy iron shackles binding his body. And he couldn't take them off. Not unless he wanted to forfeit everything he had achieved since he entered the Gotei 13.

He leaned back in his chair, stretching, before standing up and walking to a window. The deserted streets below were basking in a silvery light of the full moon perched high onto the inky black-blue sky and a single thought came to Renji as he watched one of many thin, misty clouds hover over the bright, silver pearl, making it's light dim and somehow sinister. Hotspring. There weren't many people here who enjoyed late-night baths and even less able to indulge themselves in such pleasure within the Captains' onsen and so, with an expression of utmost contentment, Renji picked up the haori resting over the back of his chair, swung it over his shoulders, made sure to turn off the lights and left for one of the precious few luxuries he would be able to kill for.

The night already advanced so much the air had a sharp, cold edges and Renji shivered as a breeze ran past him, sending chills along his skin. He decided to take a simple walk for now just to enjoy the feeling of being outdoors for more than what it took to get into the office and back home again. What's another hour or so where there was a whole night to enjoy?

Already halfway across Seireitei, not thinking about anything besides the refreshing chill making his fingers and toes go slightly numb, Renji stopped abruptly as if colliding with an invisible wall. A thick gush of reiatsu swallowed him like the depths of the ocean and he recognized it long before it's owner loomed from behind a corner and swayed, Renji's arms -as he flung himself forward- the only thing keeping him standing.

It was Kuchiki Byakuya. And he looked like hell.

„Kuchiki-taichou!" Renji heaved the man so that he could see his face clearly as Byakuya looked up to see who was supporting him and it scared the hell out of him.

The noble's cheeks were all flushed as if he just downed a whole bottle of sake in a few gulps, eyes sparkled like two obsidian glass orbs from beneath thick, black eyelashes, raven strands drooping over pale face but a shadow of their usual gracefulness, despite the silvery shine of the kenseikan. As for Byakuya's skin, it was heated with what seemed like a fever.

„What happened?" Renji asked immediately, shoving one of Byakuya's arms over his neck while sliding his own hand around the noble's torso, supporting most of his weigh with his left shoulder.

„Renji." Byakuya blinked a few times as if unsure of his former lieutenant's identity. „I believe I am on my way from the 12th Division." his brows knitted and after a while the Captain's lips curled in what was unmistakably an evil grin. „Kurotsuchi Mayuri is going to think twice as to whom he makes into his experimental subject in the future."

Renji wasn't sure what to point out first. The fact, that Byakuya himself was probably in the worst state he had ever seen him or that his voice sounded oddly distorted and he was lisping slightly. Which was something completely unbecoming of the heir of the Kuchiki clan. What the hell did Kurotsuchi do to him? If Renji didn't know any better, he would say the noble was completely smashed. Or drugged. He needed to think quickly of what to do. He couldn't possibly carry Byakuya to the 4th Division, the man would chop him to pieces if he let anyone see him like this. But what if there's something else wrong with him? Maybe Renji could get him home and persuade Unohana-taichou to make a house call.

„Yeah, let's get you home now, okay? You can tell me all about it tomorrow." he said positioning Byakuya so that it would be more comfortable to launch into shunpo.

But the noble wouldn't budge, shaking his head vigorously, overcome by such fit of the gigles he couldn't even speak properly anymore.

„Right, somethin' else then." Renji was feeling worse by the minute. He didn't know whether to be scared or worried. It wasn't like he had never done this before, there were quite a few times when he had to deal with either Matsumoto or Kira ending up so drunk he and the others had to literally drag them home, but the two never cared much about publicity and all that shit. This was Kuchiki Byakuya, however, the 28th head of the Kuchiki family, one of the four major noble houses and the Captain of the 6th Division. Nobody _ever_ saw him so much as smile, let alone choke with sniggers.

The nearest were probably the 6th Division barracks. However Renji doubted Byakuya would have the Captain's quarters ready as he usually spent all of his free time in the Kuchiki mansion. In that case, the only possibility was his own room at the 3rd Division. Kira was sleeping over at Matsumoto's and nobody else was likely to barge into the Captain's quarters just like that. It would be a perfect place to hide untill morning and then they'll see.

With his mind set, Renji gathered the still giggling Byakuya to his arms, trying to ignore hands sneaking under his shihakusho and flash-stepped away, jumping over hedges and rooftops untill he finally landed infront of the old shogi door to the 3rd Division Captain's quarters. Byakuya seemed to have fallen asleep by the time Renji put him gently onto his own bed, reconciled to sleeping on the floor. Slender fingers wrapped around his wrist, however, as he turned to look for a futton and he was yanked forward, loosing his balance and falling on top of Byakuya, who was looking up, eyes heavy-lidded and Renji could swear he saw a flicker of desire reflecting in those glassy, fathomles depths.

Before he could do a thing, Byakuya shoved them over and settled on Renji's lap, leaning over the perplexed Captain. Their lips almost brushed together and there was an intoxicating scent of sakura blossoms overwhelming senses and melting away reason.

„I am aware of the promise to give you time, Renji." the Kuchiki's voice reverberated softly only inches from the red-head's ear, low and seductive, impatient and thick with lust and Renji remembered vividly that night right after Haruka's arrest, the one he had spent inside the partially destroyed Kuchiki manor three weeks ago. Byakuya didn't talk much then and after Renji refused him as kindly as possible, he did not make any more attempts on the red-head's body, but his eyes spoke volumes of what words could never express. And they silently agreed that time will remedy what actions could not before they both fell into an uneasy sleep for merely two or three hours.

„However, I am afraid I cannot wait any longer." the noble gripped tightly the hem of Renji's shihakusho, pulling the shitagi and kosode out of the hakama to revel in the sight of bared, muscled chest heaving with every quickening breath, trailing fingers along the soft, tanned skin and over jet-black tattooes up to reach shoulders and take the clothing off entirely.

However, Renji resisted. Though he felt his whole body betraying him and heart hammering against his ribs, hands shot up, pushing Byakuya away, while trying to wriggle out of this compromising position. „Stop it, taichou. You're not yourself." he looked into obsidian eyes, determined not to allow himself to be swept away.

There was a moment of silence when they just watched each other, unsure of how to proceed. And then Byakuya sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again and locking his gaze with the reddish-chocolate one below with renewed determination.

„No, I am not." he agreed calmly, reaching to clasp Renji's large, calloused hands in his, bringing the tips of the red-head's fingers to his lips. „For if I were, I would never apologize for what I have said to you those long months ago. 'Twas cruel and heartless and I should never have allowed you to pay for my lack of self-control." cheeks, already almost the color of Renji's hair, darkened even more. „And yet you risked your life and position within the Gotei 13 to uncover what I strived to protect you from. I have been foolhardy. And If I truly were myself I would never have allowed you to hear my pleading for forgiveness and acceptance now."

Renji stared, unable to speak, unable to breath, unable to think. Byakuya's words rang in his ears and he still couldn't believe them, even though the noble's face was hovering inches above his, alive with emotion as he had never seen it before, obsidian eyes now clear and shiny, brows knitted in an expression of pain and apology. And as those beautiful, black pearls slid close and Renji felt a soft, lingering kisses on his fingertips and palm and hot breath caressing his skin, he reached to cup Byakuya's cheek, propping himself up on his elbow to meet the Captain's lips in a kiss that was both, gentle and passionate.

And his raven-haired lover answered with nuzzling into the touch and deepening the kiss, tongue slipping past tongue to discover the depths of the other's mouth all over again, for he had already forgotten how good it felt and how much he had missed it's wetness and mild taste of blood. And the gesture robbed Renji of all the remaining will to resist the need fighting a loosing battle with reason.

As if from behind a veil, he percieved nimble fingers running along his amrs, exposing the tattoed skin bit by bit untill he was completely free from the restraints of the upper part of his shihakusho and the clothes were thrown away, landing noiselessly somewhere out of sight while the kiss they shared broke for them to gasp for breath, even though there seemed to be desperately little air for their lungs to absorb. And even less for Renji as he felt teeth nibbling affectionately at the sensitive spot just below his earlob, drawing a clipped, hoarse groan out of his parted lips. He was pushed back onto the sheets and his elbow gave way easily as moist tongue and mouth began copying the outlines of tattoos on his neck, heading south to play with the hollow of his clavicle and further still, trailing well-build muscles on his chest, where slender, white fingers joined in to run along the edges of black, wild markings etched to the tanned skin.

His body reacted with a shudder as Byakuya's heated breath washed over one of perked, darkened nipples almost immediately exchanged for moist, agile tongue running over and around it, withdrawing only for a pair of lips to suck and teeth to bite while the other was being taken care of by equally skilled fingers, rubbing and tugging, sending sweet jolts of pleasure-pain up the red-head's spine. And then they switched and the tormenting started all over again and Renji was increasingly becoming aware of the hakama beginning to feel unbearably tight and uncomfortable.

Hands reached down to wind through raven strands, tickling the skin on his stomach and abdomen as Byakuya moved lower, exploring every bit of Renji on the way to where the sweet, sweet treasure was waiting for him, and surprisingly the first thing they had touched was a sharp, cold edge of a silver kenseikan. Renji had forgotten about it and he suddenly felt an irresistible urge to throw it away and never to see it again, because he remembered the youth and beauty it always kept hidden from the world.

„Bakudou # 63: Sajou Sabaku." the voice was barely audible and the words reverberated across the heated skin around Renji's small belly button and he managed only to yelp in surprise as golden, brightly glowing chains appeared out of nowhere, binding his hands and legs, each to one corner of the bed.

He tugged on them, frowned and looked at Byakuya, who raised his head, grinning broadly. The sight of it so alien, words almost got stuck in his throat. „Glad your Kidou skills are back."

„'Tis fortunate indeed." Byakuya murmured, again turning his attention to run along Renji's pelvic bone with the flat of his tongue. „Though you have yet to fully appreciate what it means to have Kuchiki Byakuya fall for you, Abarai Renji." every puff of heated breath coming out of the noble's lips gave the red-head goose bumps all over and before he knew it, he was lying sprawled over his bed, stark naked, subjugated to a scrutinizing look of obsidian eyes.

His fists clenched and limbs moved as much as the chains allowed it as he bucked into the hot moisture that had claimed him in a single, delicious slide, audible groan of pleasure scrambling out of his throat. And then the sensation vanished and there was a hand caressing gently Renji's inner thigh, while the other wrapped around his swollen member, stroking agonizingly slowly from base to tip, occasionaly joined by tentative licks and kisses. An intimately familiar tension began building up in his lower abdomen.

„K-Kuchiki-taichou," Renji managed as the only indication of his nearing the climax. And for a split second he stopped breathing and then his chest heaved again and a weight was pressing on him, while crotch and tigh were forgotten.

„Byakuya." the noble whispered into his lover's mouth before claiming his lips for his own.

And when they parted, Renji could not help himself to a scathing retort. „Oh? Finally at first name basis then?"

Kuchiki Byakuya stood up on his knees, straddling the red-head, smirk playing with his pale, regal features. „For now at least." he said, shihakusho completely gone with one, swifth movement and then he leaned forward, porcelain skin brushing against it's tattooed counterpart and kissed his lover with urgency that gave him but a moment to realize what was about to happen.

„Byakuya, you don't have to—_shit!_" the curse came out no more than an abrupt exhalation through gritted teeth followed by a violent tug on the golden chains as Renji's body arched to a sensation of tight heat swallowing him whole, robbing him of any lingering remnants of sanity.

Byakuya's face contorted with pain and fingernails dug into soft, tanned skin of Renji's hips to support the weight as he impaled himself on his former lieutenant's flushed arousal without any preparation whatsoever, pausing for a brief moment to adjust to the intrusion before starting to rise up and slide lazily almost all the way down. The pain transforming into pleasure with each move as he increased the rhythm.

„Byakuya... lemme... _shit!_" Renji knew he was being incomprehensible. Even he didn't know what the hell it was he wanted to say precisely, but he had hoped with yet another eloquent tug on his binds that Byakuya would understand. It was not that he didn't enjoy this, the many new sensations were driving him out of his mind, but he desperately yearned to touch, to embrace, to give his beautiful, sensual and alluring lover as much comfort as he could.

And to his delight, Byakuya did understand. Movements halted as lips met lips with crushing intensity, tongues began their battle for dominance, while slender, pale hands trailed up Renji's chest, shoulders and arms to tap on his wrists and the Bakudou disperesed.

It took but a heartbeat for the red-head to realize he was free again and immediately, strong, tattooed arms wrapped around the graceful, slender frame above him, pulling them both upward before sliding to meet at the round of Byakuya's bottom, directing the pace of their still more passionate love-making. The noble arched, synchronizing with his lover's movements, pulling the broad shoulders closer still, allowing sharp teeth to sink into the soft skin of the crook of his neck when Renji buried his face in the silky, raven strands to muffle a cry.

Thrusts accelerated, growing more violent and erratic by the second and they both left the will to supress huffs, groans and moans somewhere far behind, the audible sounds of moutning pleasure now forming a symphony more beautiful than any they had ever heard. Their lips met again, strokes of tongues matching the rhythm of bodies, drenched with sweat, sliding along each other before it was interrupted by Renji's hand, sneaking between them to grab his lover's twitching, burning legth, invigorated by Byakuya's breathing out his name as he began stroking in unison with their quickening movements.

The noble was first to vault over the edge with a cry threatening to wake up the whole of the 3rd Division, had he not muffled it in the red-head's lips. Hot, milky substance spilling over Renji's hand made him reach the peak as well with only two more deep thrusts. Their grip on each other tightened for a moment as the universe was being brought to existence all over again in a big bang the original one could never hope to compete with and they swayed before it loosened up and collapsed on top of each other, breathing shallow and rapid, hearts hammering madly in their chests and ringing filling their ears.

In that moment the world didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore. There was only the two of them, entangled together, trying to prevent their hearts from bursting out and running away. And as the afterglow of their coupling slowly began fading away, reason had replaced it and Renji suddenly shot up, looking terrified at the pale form beneath him, only now realizing Byakuya was still flushed and obsidian eyes till dazed from whatever had befallen him in Kurotsuchi's laboratory. And he gulped, dreading the morning, a sick feeling spreading out from the pit of his stomach that Byakuya is not going to remember any of this when he wakes up and Renji will have been the one taking advantage of the noble's weakened state.

But these thoughts were the last of the 3rd Division's Captain's worries the moment the small, pitch-black butterfly fluttered it's wings infront of his eyes. And it made even Byakuya, dozing slowly off to sleep, open his eyes and scowl slightly.

„Attention to all Captains and Vice-Captains, there has been a breach of security! A prisoner has escaped from the Shrine of Pertinence! I repeat, a prisoner has escaped from the Shrine of Pertinence..."

Byakuya only giggled as Renji's jaw fell and pulled the red-head back into an embrace. Haruka decided to swallow her pride after all. He was glad.

***The End***

* * *

**Pheeew! *collapses* You know, the lemon took me most of the time and I'm still not quite happy with it, but suppose it's better than nothing :)**

**I'm gonna let your imagination do the rest... :) Please, don't kill me just yet! :D**

**And just for info, I've also used a real Aizen Sousuke character song Flower petals from Bleach Beat collection, because I love the song almost as much as Byakuya's Yozora no Kawa :D**

**Notes:**

_**Onibaba**_** – demon hag from japanese mythology**

_**Tasukete**_** – save me**

_**Onegai**_** – please**

_**Onsen**_** - hotspring**


End file.
